


LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, 1 



Chap. 
Shelf 



i_i.5:L 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



^^^K!- 




■J 



1 

i 



Mr. J. S. JAMESON. 



THE STORY OF 

THE REAR COLUMN 

OF THE 

EMIN PASHA 
RELIEF EXPEDITION 



BY THE LATE 

JAMES SV^AMESON 

NATURALIST TO THE EXPEDITION 



EDITED BY 

Mrs. JAMES S. JAMESON 



ILLUSTRATED* BY C. WHYMPER FROM THE AUTHOR S ORIGINAL 
SKETCHES 

WITH NEW MAP AND FAC SIMILE LETTER FROM TIPPU TIB 



)./ 



NATURAL HISTORY APPENDIX: 
BIRDS, BY R. R. BOWDLER SHARPE, F. Z. S. 

COLEOPTERA, by h. w. bates, f. r. s. 
LEPIDOPTERA, RHOPALOCERA and HETEROCERA 
by osbert salvin, f. r. s., f. du cane godman, f. r. s., 

^ ' H. DRUCE, F. L. S. 



KAuthori:{ed Edition 



NEW YORK 
UNITED STATES BOOK COMPANY 

SUCCESSORS TO 

JOPIN W. LOVELL COMPANY 

150 WORTH ST., COR. MISSION PLACE 



TROWS 

PRINTING AND BOOKBINDING COMPANY, 

NEW YORK. 



CONTENTS. 



List op Illttstrations , , . ix 

Editoe's Note . . xiii 

Preface xv 

Introduction xxvii 

CHAPTER I. 
EXTRACTS EROM LETTERS. 

Joining Stanley and Oriicers of the Expedition. — Zanzibar. — 
Tippu-Tib. — War between Soudanese and Zanzibaris. — 
Stories about Tippu-Tib. — Cape Town. — Buying dogs. — 
Stanley refuses carrier for Jameson's collecting-things and 
big rifle. — Banana Point 1 



CHAPTER II. 
DIARY.— JOURNEY UP THE CONGO. 

1S87.— March 19th to April 30th. 

Boma. — Ango-Ango. — Mpalaballa Mission Station. — March to 
Congo da Lemba. — Banza Manteka. — Day's march resembling 
slave-driving. — Kuilu River. — March to Yombo. — Stanley 
doing rear-guard. — Bartlelot sent on with Soudanese. — Sick 
chief. — Lutete. — Kindness of the missionaries. — Stanley 
settling a row. — Inkissi River. — Thief. — Stanley's punish- 
ment of chiefs. — Off to shoot hippo. — Difficulty about 
steamers. — Kinshassa. — Ward joins the Expedition .. 



IV COJSTBNTS, 

CHAPTER III. 

THE UPPEE COI^GO. 

May 1st to June 7th. 

PA«B 

Start up the Upper Congo. — Scenery on the Pool. — Spiders' webs. 
— Mswata. — Bula Matadi. — Man proposes, and God disposes. 
— Bolobo. — Buffalo hunt. — Jameson is informed that he is 
to be left at Yambuya. — Looting. — Lukulela. — Scenes with 
Stanley. — Equator Station. — Dine with Mr. Glave. — Uranga. ■ 
— Bangala. — Houssas eaten by natives. — Eever. — XJpoto. — 
Stanley's distrust of his officers , , , . 34 



CHAPTER IV. 

OCCUPATION OE YAMBUYA. 

June 8th to July 31st. 

Letter to Mrs. Jameson. — Pass burning villages. — Arrival at Aru- 
wimi Eiver. — Conical-shaped huts, — Occupation of Yambuya. 
— Arrival of the Henry Reed. — Stanley's letter of instruc- 
tions. — Re-packing bales for Emin. — Barttelot made " blood- 
brother" with native chief. — Rations for six months. — 
"Beggars must not be choosers." — Stanley's departure. — 
Building boma. — Extraordinary flight of butterflies. — Palaver 
with natives. — "Collecting" captives.— Natives capture Omari. 
— Woman escapes. — Uselessness of chiefs. — Gum-copal . . 60 



CHAPTER V. 

YAMBUYA CAMP. 

July 27th to December Slst. 

Letter to Mrs. Jameson. — No news of Tippu-Tib. — Promise to 
protect natives. — Reported arrival of Tippu's men. — Return 
of deserter from Stanley's party. — His statement. — Arrival 



CONTENTS. V 

PAQB 

of the Stanley. — Raid on the natives by Tippu- Tib's people. 
— Pinal departure of the Stanley. — First visit of Tippu-Tib's 
Arabs to Tambuya Camp. — Bonny crosses river to native 
village. — Abdullah punished for stealing an axe. — Jameson 
and Ward start for Stanley Palls. — Natives offer to make 
them princes. — Talisula. — Arrival at the Palls. — Eeceived 
by Tippu-Tib. — He explains non-arrival of men. — Native 
wrestling-match. — Jameson makes Tippu present of big rifle. 
— Eeturn to Yambuya. — Soudanese punished for theft. — 
Selim bin Mahommed.- — Arabs shoot down natives. — Dis- 
appointing news from Tippu-Tib. — E-umours of Stanley's 
return. — Barttelot and Troup start for Palls. — A man pos- 
sessed by a devil. — Deserter's story. — Bonny's surgical skill, 
— The Major returns. — Omaha. — Report of a white man 
coming down river. — Presh disappointment. — Jaundice. — 
Arabs try to prevent trade with natives. — Burgari Mahom- 
med steals meat from Ward's house. — Living skeletons. — . 
Three dreams. — Ungungu captured by Arabs. — Christmas 
Day. — Presh trouble between Arabs and natives . . . . 99 



CHAPTER VI. 

YAMBUYA CAMP. 

1888. — January 1st to Fehruary 13f^. 

New Year's Day. — Natives return with captured Arab. — Barttelot 
and Jameson have palaver with natives. — Natives consult the 
oracles and inspect white men. — More reports from Stanley's 
deserters. — Assad Parran sees a whale. — Yisit from Arab 
Yenuses. — Soharus Poggei beetle. — Dead bodies floating down 
river. — Wretched state of Zanzibaris in camp. — One fifth of 
entire force lost. — Goliath beetle. — Conversation with Selim 
Mahommed.— Probable dangers to Mr. Stanley's force from 
death and desertion. — Arabs attack natives. — Arabs fight 
among themselves. — Natives steal canoes from Arabs.— 
Anniversary of Jameson's wedding. — ilore raids on the 
natives, — Burgari Mahommed at large. — Natives eat cap- 
tured Arabs. — Burgari capturerl, and shot 177 



VI CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER VII. 

KASSONGO. 
February 14th to April 26th. 

CAGE 

Start with the Major for Stanley Palls. — Meet a number of men 
from Kassongo. — Singatini. — Interview with Nzige. — No 
news of Stanley. — Hunting for game in the jungle. — Letter 
from Yambuya Camp. — Shock of earthquake. — Anxious 
waiting. — Sketching regarded as sorcery by Mahommedans. 
— Fever. — Letter from Troup. — Barttelot arranges to send 
Jameson to Kassongo. — Letter to Mrs. Jameson. — Start for 
Kassongo. — Yankewe. — Wild-looking natives. — Wamanga 
Eapids. — Meet men from Kassongo. — Kibonge. — Jameson 
writes to Stanley. — Kapruta. — Assad Earran hunts for 
onions. — Kasuku. — Kindness of Arab chief. — Poisoned 
arrows. — Piba-Piba. — Shooting hippos. — Three great chiefs. 
Tippu-Tib's names. — Dangerous natives. — Head men fear a 
night attack. — Quanga. — Nyangwe. — Kindness of Arabs. — 
Arrival at Kassongo. — Tippu-Tib. — Fertile country. — Salem 
Masudi. — Tippu agrees to provide men. — Sketching. — 
Jameson writes to Mr. Mackinnon. — Letter to Mrs. Jameson. 
— Arab customs. — Conversation with Tippu-Tib. — Muni 
Katomba 209 



CHAPTER YIII. 

RETURN TO YAMBUYA. 

April 27th to June lOth. 

Start back for Yambuya. — Delay at starting-point on the river. — 
Thirty-four of Tippu's men run away. — Tippu and Cameron. 
— Chiefs arrive to bid farewell to Tippu-Tib. — Miresa. — 
Tippu's conversation in Swahili. — Two canoes sunk. — ^A 
narrow escape. — Assad Farran's uselessness. — Riba-Riba. — 
Wacusu dance. — Cannibals. — Conversation with Tippu. — 



CONTENTS, Vll 

PAGE 

Mimi Somai. — Kibonge. — Chimpanzees. — Tippu's account of 
a journey with Stanley. — Stanley Falls. — Barttelot's inter- 
view with Tippu-Tib. — Start for Tambuya. — Troup sends in 
application to be sent home. — Hard at work reducing loads. 
— Caps turn out to be bad. — Letter to Mrs. Jameson . , . . 277 



CHAPTER IX. 

THE LAST MARCH. 

June 11th to August 8th. 

Final start from Yambuya Camp. — Manyemas loot the Camp. — 
Abdullah's village. — Muni Somai has trouble with Manyemas. 
Fourteen men desert. — Jameson returns to Yambuya in 
search of missing loads. — Selim Mahommed guarantees to 
recover loads and rifles. — More desertions. — Small-pox. — 
Muni Somai goes in search of deserters, and is fired at. — 
Theft of beads. — Trouble with the Muniaparas. — A long day 
of disaster. — Major Barttelot returns to Stanley Falls, leaving 
Jameson in command. — Fresh trouble with Manyemas. — 
Jameson arrives at Ujele. — Takes over command from Bonny. 
— Muni Somai utterly useless as a commander. — Mquan- 
gandy. — Letters from Earttelot ordering whole force to pro- 
ceed to Unaria. — War amongst head men. — A night fusillade. 
— Bonny loses his way. — Muni Hamela hands over to 
Jameson 40,000 Enfield caps. — News of Major Barttelot's 
death. — Arrival at Unaria. — Interview with three head 
Manyemas. — Jameson off'ers reward for Sanga's arrest. — 
Jameson proceeds to Stanley Falls. — Finds the Manyemas 
camped in forest. — Meets Muni Somai. — Nasoro Masudi 
warns Jameson that Manyemas have threatened to shoot 
him. — Ariival at Stanley Falls. — Interview with Tippu. — 
Muni Somai tried and convicted of desertion. — Letter to 
Andrew Jameson. — Letter to Mrs. Jameson. — Eachid declines 
to accompany Jameson. — Tippu volunteers to do so for 
X20,000. — Trial and death of Sanga. — Jameson determines 
to go to Bangala in order to obtain reply from Committee. — 
Mr. Stanley's letter to Jameson 308 



viii CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER X. 

LAST SCE^s^ES. 
August 9ih to August ISth, 

PAGB 

Last Journey. — Mr. Ward's diary. — Death 367 



Appendices L-XI 377-391 

Facsimile of Agreement written by Mr. Jameson forms 

Appendix IX. 
Facsimile of Tippu-Tib's letter faces translation on page 391. 

Xatueal-Hjstoet AppENi>ii 392-452 

Explanation op Map op Upper Co^jgo 453-455 

\f AP OF KivEfi Congo, from Stanley Falls to Kassongo (end of volume). 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS, 



PAGE 

Portrait of the late James S. Jameson" Frontispiece 

\ White or Square-mouthed Rhinoceros (lihinoceros simus) . . . . xii 

Slave Girl 9 

Peter's Fetish 10 

Boraa 11 

Ango-Ango 12 

Mission Eoad near Mpalaballji 14 

Native Justice 22 

Native Method of Bird-catching 23 

Ivory War Horn 34 

Diagram of Spiders' Webs ^ . . . . 36 

Head of Native of Mswata 37 

Kwamouth -±0 

Pisherman's Hut 46 

Tattooing 58 

Shields 58 

Native of Upoto 59 

Native Village 60 

Native Chief in top hat 62 

Spears and Shield QQ 

Tattooing 66 

Entrenched Camp, Main Street 69 

Rapids, from the Camp 80 

Idol 84 

Water Pot, Yambuya 85 

Native Jar 92 

Wataku Box 96 

Yambuya. — "View looking down river from Entrenched Camp 98 

Plan of Entrenched Camp, Yambuya 101 

Bell and Musical Instrument 106 

Matajabu Ill 

Native Drinking-bowls 112 

Chief's Grave, Yaweeko 117 

Stanley FaUs .. 12] 



X LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 



PAGE 



A Champion 125 

Singatini 127 

Elephant's Head 133 

Yambau 134 

Selim bin Mahommed 136 

A Native of the Upper Congo 140 

Suckiug-Eish 143 

Yambnya Palisade 155 

Pattern on inside of Dish 159 

Native Stool, Yambnya 160 

Starving Zanzibari 165 

War-Knife, Upoto 166 

Native Method of Bird-catching 176 

Mr. Jameson, drawn by H. Ward 177 

My Home 179 

Tattooing 186 

Cowrie Head-dress 195 

War-Knife from Lumami Eiver 201 

Watakn Pottery 205 

Tattooing 208 

A Glimpse across Aruwimi Eiver 209 

Small War-Knife 211 

Slave Girl 213 

My Friend " Masudi " 215 

"Mashuknlu'' 219 

"Curry-Eyes" 221 

A Savage taking his ease 223 

My Bow Paddle 228 

Wamanga Rapids 231 

Kibonge 233 

Native of Wamanga 235 

" A long shove, and a strong shove, and ujp she goes " . . . . 238 

" And doivn she comes with a run " 239 

Knife from Kassongo 243 

'^Lukutula" 247 

Wagania Village, near Kassongo 248 

Landing-place, Kassongo 250 

Double Drum, and Striker 252 

Copper Money 252 

Kassongo 255 

Eoad to Ujiji 264 

Native of Unyanembi . . , . , 267 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS, xi 

PAGH 

Drnmmer and Dancer of Quemba 270 

Lamba-Lamba 271 

Tippu-Tib 274 

WaganiaHuts 276 

" Nothing like Independence " 277 

Native Woman in Market 279 

One of Tippn-Tib's Gun-bearers 281 

Longa-Longa 283 

Muni Somai 295 

Assimene 297 

Bunch of Plantains 299 

A New Way of Catching Chickens 304 

Eiver Scene 308 

Major Barttelot seated on the old Drum 309 

Diagram of line of March 322 

Native of Upper Congo 354 

A Canoe Journey 367 

The House in which Mr. Jameson died at Bangala 370 

The Last Journey 372 

Photograph of Grave 374 

Native Yase 376 

Tattooing 452 

War-Knife .. .. .. .« .. .. 455 




White oe Squaee-mouthed Khinoceeos. 



[The above was mounted, together with the larger portion of the late 
Mr. J. S. Jameson's Collection, by Mr. Rowland Ward, F.Z.S.] 



EDITOR'S NOTE. 



These letters and diaries were not originally intended for pub- 
lication ; but it has been thought that they may be read with 
interest by many, and that, having regard to the accusations 
recently made against the leaders o£ the Rear Column, it is 
desirable that they should be published in what is practically 
their original form, with only such alterations as their private 
nature required. 

In the preparation of this work, I have throughout had the 
advantage of the constant advice and sympathetic help of my 
brother-in-law, Mr. Andrew Jameson. 

I have received much kindness from Mr. Herbert Ward, 
who sealed and sent home those of Mr. Jameson^s diaries and 
papers which he brought with him to the coast^ and gave me 
several interesting sketches of his own for insertion in this 
volume. A still deeper debt of gratitude is due to him for the 
tender solicitude with which he nursed my husband during 
those last hours at Bangala, 

I wish further to express my hearty thanks to several of my 
husband^s friends who have rendered me valuable assistance 
by preparing the scientific parts of this book, contained in the 
Appendices. 

To Mr. E. Bowdler Sharpe, F.Z.S., I am indebted both 
for a sketch of Mr. Jameson's career as a naturalist, and for 
his very valuable paper on the birds of the Aruvvimi ; and 



XIV EDITOR'S NOTE. 

to Messrs. H. W. Bates, F.R.S., Osbert Salvin, F.R.S., 
F. DuCane Godman, F.R.S., and Herbert Druce, F.Z.S., my 
thanks are most deservedly due for the care they have bestowed 
upon the Entomological portion of the Appendices. It is 
a matter of deep regret that only a remnant of the collec- 
tions made by Mr. Jameson on the Aruwimi ever reached my 
hands. 

The Rev. J. M. Ron well has kindly rendered the translation 
of the Arabic letter from Tippu-Tib, and the Rev. Canon J. J. 
Carmichael, LL.D.j has merited my warmest thanks for his 
valuable help. 

Finally, I would acknowledge the artistic skill with which 
Mr. Charles Whymper has reproduced the spirit of my 
husband's sketches, and the attention and courtesy shown me 
throughout by Mr. R. H. Porter in the publication of this 
book. 



ETHEL JAMESON 
December 12th, 1890. 



PREFACE, 



**Let there be light." 
(Mr. Stanley's motto for ^In Darkest Africa.') 

** Good name, in man and woman, dear my lord, 
Is the immediate jewel of their souls : 
Wlio steals my purse, steals trash : 'tis something, nothin:^ ; 
'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands ; 
But he, that filches from me my good name, 
Robs me of that which not enriches him^ 
And makes me poor indeed." 

Never was the truth of these lines more vividly illustrated 
than in the case of the writer of this Diary. The dream of his 
early life was to add his name to the long roll of those who 
have striven for some good and useful object. At length the 
occasion offered itself^ as he believed^ in the Expedition in which 
he lost his life ; to join it he sacrificed his wealthy his home, 
his family joys and comfort, to live ^' laborious days,"*"* and find 
some scope for the pent-up energies within him. He went to 
his work with a strong zeal and lofty sense of right, did his 
duty with unselfish heroism in the face of treacheries and 
overw^helming difficulties, and died a martyr to the cause for 
which he had so nobly laboured. What is his reward ? Pie 
is sought to be made the scapegoat of his Commander's ill- 
judgment and neglect ! Charges ot* disobedience, disloyalty, 
forgetfulness of promises, desertion, cruelty, cowardice, and 
murder are brought against him, on the authority of discredited 
liars, by a man who is driven to his wits^ end to sustain his 



XVI PREFACE. 

reputation against serious imperative accusations. The charges 
are brought against Jameson when he is in his grave, when the 
common usage of humanity suggests silence, and when a man 
of a noble and honourable cast of nature would altogether 
prefer to lie under an unjust suspicion rather than asperse and 
defame the voiceless dead. This, however, is not the course which 
Mr. Stanley has followed. Lest any tinge of discredit should 
rest on his own fame, he has striven to destroy that of others who 
are powerless to reply. Upon his remarkable Expedition into 
Central Africa there rests one dark blot — the disastrous fate of 
his Rear-Gruard, and Mr. Stanley is not a man to admit that he 
can make mistakes : no blame of any sort can be allowed to sully 
his record ; if the Rear-Guard was wrecked, it was, of course, 
because his skilful plans and careful orders were neglected and 
disobeyed ; no statement, however desperate and imaginary, will 
be kept back if only it serve to sustain his egotistical demands 
upon the credulous admiration of his readers ; and so, apparently 
unconscious of the possibility of contradiction, and fully con- 
scious of the fact that the men whom he defames are dead, he 
casts the whole weight of blame upon their helpless heads. The 
first answer to Mr. Stanley^s charges comes from Captain Walter 
Barttelot; and it is a crushing one. His reply to this is a 
flood of malevolent gossip as wicked as it is unproven, in which 
good care is taken to make the least serious charges against 
the living, the gravest and most defamatory against the dead. 

The amount of reliance that can be placed upon Mr. Stanley's 
accuracy is an easy question to determine. He suffers even 
abnormally from, that shortness of memory which is, according 
to a well-known proverb, said to be characteristic of a certain 
class of people. Thus, on November 8th, 1890, he denies 
the truth of statements respecting the Rear-Guard made by 
himself in a book published in the month of June of that 
self-same year. In Volume I. of 'In Darkest Africa,^ page 
478, after giving a history of all the information he could 
get from Mr. Bonny, he says, ''^I have never obtained further 
light from Mr. Bonny, though at every leisure hour it was 
a constant theme '' (and indeed, from all accounts, it ap- 
pears that Stanley spared no pains to get from him all he 



PBEFAQE, xvii 

knew). In the beginning of Vol. II. we find an account of 
the examination of witnesses from amongst the survivors of 
the Camp at Yambuya^ and the conclusions arrived at are 
plainly stated — the deaths at Yambuya were due to the 
manner in which the men cooked their food, among the 
members of the garrison there were many thieves, and punish- 
ments were numerous_, but were never inflicted except on those 
who deserved them. All this appears in the month of June 
1890. Then Captain Walter Barttelot^s book is published, and 
Mr. Stanley must needs mend his hand_, and so on the 8th of 
November, 1890, he comes forth with fresh allegations against 
his officers, and tells a tale quite different from that which he had 
already published in ' In Darkest Africa.^ His first statement 
about the November story casts the gravest doubt upon it, for he 
says he heard it all at Yambuya in August 1888 (Banalya, a 
place ninety miles from Yambuya, must be what is meant, as Mr. 
Stanley never returned to Yambuya, but the mistake, whether 
intentional or not, is very convenient for him, and, curious to 
say, he has not yet corrected it). A considerable part of the 
November story comes from the lips of Mr. Bonny, but if 
Mr. Stanley heard it all in August 1888, how could he, although 
omitting all mention of it in ' In Darkest Africa,^ write that he 
had inserted therein all he had heard from Mr. Bonny ? Was 
then, the statement published November 8th, 1890, that which 
was told him by Bonny in August 1888, or was it not ? If 
it was, then the above statement by Mr. Stanley on the 
subject, published in ^ In Darkest Africa,'' was not true; if 
it was not the story told him in 1888, then Mr. Stanley's 
account of the real reasons which led him to condemn his 
officers, given in the most public and final manner, is absolutely 
false. On the second horn of this dilemma Mr. Stanley is 
inexorably fixed, for Mr. Bonny, in his statement to the ' Times,^ 
declares that he told these things to Stanley for the first time 
on Sunday, October 26th, 1890, and not at Banalya, on the 
Congo, in August 1888. That is to say, the only justification 
which Mr. Stanley, when put on his defence, produces for 
the condemnation of his officers in 1888, is hearsay evidence 
procured by him in 1890. 

b 



xviii PREFACE. 

It is worth while to expatiate a little upon this bold attempt of 
Mr. Stanley's to mislead people into believing that the evidence 
upon whicb he grounded his charge was obtained from a 
general inquiry into the matter made by him upon the Congo 
in 1888, and not upon the particular evidence of three witnesses 
obtained in 1890. For instance, he talks on this wise when in- 
troducing to public notice his charges of November 8th, 1890 :— ' 
"The sentence of my report with which Mr. Barttelot finds 
fault, and in which I censure the commander of the Rear 
Column, was written in August 1888, two days after I had met 
Mr. Bonny and the emaciated remnant of the Rear Column. 
On learning then the details of what had transpired during my 
absence, I wrote that the irresolution of the officers, the neglect 
of their promises, and their indifference to the written orders I 
gave them, had caused this woful collapse. You ask me to 
justify that censure. It will probably be the best way, in order 
to satisfy any legitimate interest in this question, to tell the 
story as I heard it at Yambuya, because in that way the public 
will better understand the shocking effect it had on me when, 
hastening to their reliefs I was met by the following reve- 
lations'^. And here comes the point. You will find in the log 
of my book ^ In Darkest Africa,' even in its abridged form, that 
the men of the Rear Column came forward to present their 
complaints ; and much of the following information I obtained 
from Mr. Bonny, the Zanzibaris, the Arabs, and the Man- 
yema.'^ Then follow the statements which Stanley says were 
at that time made to him, the very first of them being the 
poisoning story, with which Mr. Bonny's most exciting state- 
ment has since made us familiar. But alas ! for the accu- 
racy of Mr. Stanley, Bonny informs us that he told Stanley 
that tale on Sunday, October 26th, 1890, two years and two 
months after the date which Mr. Stanley fixes for its first 
recital. The fact is that Stanley deliberately endeavours to 
lead the public to believe that the evidence upon which he 
bases his foulest charges against the officers of the Rear-G-uard 
was obtained by him in August 1888, when, beyond yea or nay, 

* The italics are my own. — A. J. 



PREFACE, xix 

he never got it till October 1890^ so far as Bonny is concerned, 
and Assad Farran only made his statement to him in Cairo in 
March of the same year. 

In respect of the cannibal story^ a reader of Mr. Stanley^s 
statement of November 8th, 1890, would conclude that at Yam- 
buya in 1888, an eye-witness of the scene drew up a statement 
in his own handwriting in the presence of witnesses; that 
this statement was shown to Mr. Stanley there, and is the one 
he publishes ; that the evidence taken on the subject by the 
Congo Free State authorities was also shown to him there, 
and that these facts were the principal reasons for the letter 
which he says he wrote to Jameson, but which has never 
since been seen, or even heard of, until now mentioned by 
Mr. Stanley himself. On the 10th November, 1890, however, he 
publishes another statement, in which he tells us that Bonny 
told him the story, that a Zanzibar! who had been at Stanley 
Falls corroborated it, and that he was told the Congo Free 
State authorities intended arresting Jameson. Where has the 
eye-witness gone to, and the evidence taken by the authorities 
which he relied on before? The eye-witness in this second 
statement is revealed in Assad Farran, and the evidence taken 
before the authorities dwindles to the story told him about 
their intentions. But how do the two statements look when 
read together ? Was not the first a plain attempt to make it 
appear that evidence obtained at a subsequent date was tendered 
to him at Yambuya, and does the second statement not show 
that Stanley^s real ^'^ witnesses '' were Bonny and Assad Farran? 
Does not Stanley publish the story Assad Farran teUs him in 
1890, and Bonny vouch for the truth of it, only placing it all 
in the mouth of Jameson himself ? 

It is absolutely necessary to nail Mr. Stanley to names and 
dates. He wants the public now to believe, contra his own 
already expressed statement, contra the inexorable logic of 
proven facts, that he was acquainted in August 1888 with all the 
charges of his outrageous indictment of November 8th, 1890, 
and that he then obtained the proofs of them from various 
witnesses among the survivors of the Bear-Guard, from Bonny, 
Arabs, Zanzibaris, and Manyema, and that, on the information 

b2 



XX PREFACE, 

obtained in those two days of inquiry, lie wrote his condemnation 
of his officers. 

" I had a grandmotlier, she had a donkey, 
And when that donkey looked lier in the face, 
His face was sad, and you are sad, my public." 

In the enthusiasm of an evanescent hero-worship the British 
public sinks occasionally for a time below the level of its 
average sagacity It gazes with a sweet confiding affection 
upon the masculine idol of its temporary adoration ; but woe 
to him who would presume upon the constancy of that love ; 
it is too fickle and fastidious to have time or temper for 
lovers' quarrels and their proverbial results. By an inevitable 
reaction, it is certain soon to become as suspicious and exacting 
as it was once full of loud and intolerant confidence ; the more 
so, if it comes to think that there is any attempt to trifle with 
its amiable credulity. This is what Mr. Stanley will soon 
begin to feel. The idea is already abroad that he is seeking to 
delude the public judgment, especially in the way of insinuating 
that he is embarrassed by the number of his witnesses, when, 
in point of fact, he has produced but three — Bonny, Assad 
Farran, and Saleh ben Osman, his own Zanzibari servant. 
That it is perfectly possible for Mr. Stanley to produce many 
more witnesses of the type of Saleh ben Osman no one can 
doubt who is acquainted with the real nature of native evidence 
of this description ; and if the Congo Free State authorities had 
any wish to adopt his peculiar line of conduct, it is equally 
certain the application of the ^^ questioning ■''' system would be 
attended with satisfactory results. 

But in what a light does all this place the author of ' In 
Darkest Africa ■'! Is it the pure light which shines round a 
man striving to make the truth known ? or is it the baneful 
gleam of those darksome shades in which Mr. Stanley tells us 
a vast crop of lying is germinated ? 

He deals with his evidence like the Irish planners of an alibi. 
He changes the date to suit the necessities of his case ; with an 
astounding unfairness, he condemns his officers first, and tries 
them afterwards. Having failed in his efforts at the time and 
on the spot to obtain from Bonny and the coloured witnesses 



PREFACE, XXI 

sufficient condemnatory evidence against those whom he had 
deserted, and misled, he strove to work up a case against them 
by straining the obvious sense and purport of his orders ; b\ 
twisting and misrepresenting the writings of Barttelot and 
Jameson, so as to condemn them, if possible, out of their own 
mouths, then silenced for ever; and even by daring to break 
open the seals upon Jameson^s private diary and papers. 

Never, in the history of slander, were charges so inju- 
rious as those levelled against the officers dependent upon 
more worthless testimony. It is incomprehensible how any 
man_, with the barest respect for his reputation, could make 
use of such instruments as two of Mr. Stanley^s witnesses. 
Assad Farran, the prime concocter of these shameless inven- 
tions, is a man who (as he himself puts it) would, if he 
were only questioned enough, ^^give all the information his 
examiners wanted ; " a man who, when he was asked by the 
Secretary of the Emin Pasha Relief Committee, Mr. Mac- 
Dermott, why he had told stories about the officers which 
he admitted were exaggerated and incorrect, replied ^' that he 
thought Major Barttelot and Mr. Jameson had not treated him 
well, that he had been sent away without clothes or food, and 
his feeling was bad ; '' and then he added, " that when those to 
whom he made his statement on the Congo kept questioning, 
questioning, and would not let him alone, he had to say all 
fchey wanted him to say."*'' 

This is the man who, in March 1890, first told Mr. Stanley 
some of the stories which that gentleman stated he heard on 
the Congo in 1888. Nor is Saleh ben Osman, Mr. Stanley's 
Zanzibari servant, a more reliable witness than the pitifully 
discredited Assad Farran. The statement of this wortliy, who 
does not pretend to be an eye-witness of anything, is translated 
by Mr. Glave, and is a most extraordinary document, bearing 
its own refutation on its face. At the best it is a mere re- 
chauffe of what he had heard concerning these events from 
Zanzibaris, Arabs, Manyemas, and Soudanese, and if the in- 
formation derived at first hand from such witnesses is unreli- 
able, what does it become when filtered tlirough the head of a 
Zanzibari servant two years after he had heard the tales he 
tells ? 



xxil PREFACE. 

No one knows better than Mr. Stanley the utter untrust- 
worthiness of these Zanzibaris, and the ease with which they may 
be made to say anything by " questioning, questioning/'' Even 
his own character is not safe in their hands, for he is accused 
by one of the tribe of ordering a live baby to be drowned in 
the Congo {vide page 111 in Diary), and the Zanzibari who 
made this statement had no apparent motive for telling a lie, 
which can hardly be asserted about Mr. Stanley^s most useful 
witness. 

Mr. Stanley is certainly unfortunate in being placed in a 
position where he must stake his credit on the veracity of such 
men as these. He has only produced three witnesses at the 
best : two of them have been proved unworthy of the slightest 
belief, and the third_, his piece de resistance, Mr. Bonny, is far 
from being as satisfactory as the cause of justice would require. 

Bonny is an ex-sergeant of the Army Hospital Corps, and 
was a paid servant of Mr. Stanley^s, who styles himself his 
employer. Our trust in his accuracy of recollection and in- 
telligent appreciation of facts is somewhat enfeebled, when we 
remember that Mr. Stanley informs us how Bonny told him 
that Barttelot, in view of his possible death, had left to him 
(Bonny) the succession in command over Jameson, an absurd 
misapprehension, to say the least of it, complicated moreover by 
a most unpleasant controversy respecting the genuineness of 
certain orders produced by Bonny, and the alleged suppression 
of those he was bound to obey. There seems to be a certain 
amount of inaccuracy about Mr. Bonny. He is unable to adhere 
to one story, even in the case of such an important incident as 
that of Major Barttelot^s murder, and varies his description of 
it, and the circumstances attending it, some three or four times 
in most vital particulars. But all the same, we are requested 
to believe that Mr. Bonny is a rare being, gifted with a sym- 
pathetic attractiveness that draws towards him the inmost 
confidences of all those with whom he comes in contact. 
According to Mr. Stanley^s account, he must have been '^ father- 
confessor " to all in the Camp, for to him, without any sigillum 
confessioniSj men appear to have confided the darkest records 
and intentions of their lives. 



PREFACE. xxiii 

The terrible Barttelot reveals to him his intention to poison 
Seiim Mahommed ; tells him that he is getting his brother so to 
take care of Troup that he will tell no tales at home ; imparts 
to him plots to start expeditions independent of Stanley, and at 
last even begs of him a medical certificate and leave to retire 
from the Expedition ! 

No conditions of existence snch as those which apply to 
ordinary human beiugs seem able to make such things credible ; 
and if reliance is to be placed on this part of Stanley^s case, it 
can only be justified by a belief in some intense magnetic or 
hypnotic influence exercised by Eonny on those around him. 

With all the elaboration, care, and publicity which Mr. Stanley 
has given to the evidence of these three witnesses, he has failed 
to produce a statement from their mouths which justifies his 
charge that *^ the Rear Column was wrecked by the irresolution, 
the neglect of promises, and the indifference to written orders 
of the officers he left in command of it,^^ and he has not 
lightened in the slightest degree the load of blame under which 
he himself at present lies. 

One turns, as in search of a great relief, from this story 
of self-seeking, unfairness, and deception, to the record of 
a noble and unselfish life. It must indeed be a strongly 
prejudiced mind that can read this Diary without being 
impressed by the sense of the immediate presence of a 
gentle, loviog, and sympathetic nature, keen and true of 
observation, quick-willed and suggestive, with a pleasant 
humour and a gallant heart. A man-'s diary is a self-revela- 
tion. His true personality is as certain to present itself 
continually as the refrain in a theme of music. No man lies 
to himself, when night after night, as his work is done, he 
sits down to write out the story of his life from day to day ; 
and the life w^hich Jameson reveals to us in his Diary is one 
whose keynote is duty, kindliness, and hard work. " Little did 
I think," he writes to Mrs. Jameson a fortnight before his 
death, " when I spoke to you of ray feelings of duty, that I 
should ever be placed in such a position as I now am, in which 
all that I feel for you and for our little ones cries out against 



xxiv PBEFACE, 

what I must do as an officer of this Expedition. With one 
word or even a show of weakness on my part, I could stop the 
whole Expedition, which seems fated to meet with nothing but 
reverses, and return to you. But God knows such a thought 
never entered my heart, although I could easily defend such 
an action on my part. The first thing that flashed across my 
brain on finding myself so placed was your father^s favourite 
text, ^ Know, O man, that to know and love justice and do the 
thing that is right^ that shall bring a man peace at the last ; ' 
and you will see what a help every word in that verse has been 
to me now.''^ 

On the same day he writes to his brother, ^^ Whatever 
happens to me, old man, I tried to do my duty to this blessed 
Expedition ; and many a time, when I have thought of Ethel 
and home, I would have liked to chuck the whole thing up 
when there were plenty of officers to take my place/'' A brave 
resolve to go through with what he had undertaken sustained 
him to the last in the face of dreadful odds. The neglect and 
unfairness of the Commander of the Expedition — who, as he 
says, "it is evident takes the word of the Zanzibaris before 
that of the white men,'"* — the cruelty, dishonesty, treachery, and 
falsehood of the Arabs with whom he had to deal, the miserable 
conditions of existence growing worse from day to day, the 
hope deferred, the bitter consciousness that the slanderer was 
at work to defame his honour, — however these irons cut into his 
soul, they dimmed not that gallant sense of duty, which most 
touchingly displayed itself as a ruling passion, strong in death, 
when, as he breathed his last, with husky voice he answered to 
the faintly-heard roll of the drums, " They are coming ; they 
are coming. Let us stand together.'''' 

Numerous and suggestive also are the indications of his 
kindliness of heart in his anxieties about the sick people in the 
Camp — African and English, and the grief he so evidently feels 
at being utterly unable to give them the help thty so sorely 
need. His pity for the natives, too, and the efforts that both 
he and Barttelot made to save thern from the Arabs; the 
regret he expresses at the inevitable punishments and floggings, 
all indicate a kind, helpful, and unselfish nature. '^Poor 



PREFACE. XXV 

old Derrier Moussa^ a Somali/'-' he writes^ " who has been our 
cook for the greater part of our journey, died to-day. He 
has been ill for a long time. It is horrible to watch these men 
slowly dying before your face_, and not be able to do anything 
for them/^ "Poor Alexander, one of the Soudanese inter- 
preters, died to-day ; he has been ill for a long time.'''' " It is 
a sad, sad sight to see men dying round you every day, and not 
be able to put out a hand to save them. Without a single 
fight we have lost close upon seventy men out of our small 
force, and there are many more who, I am sorry to say, will 
never leave that Camp. And now good night and good-bye. 
Kiss the little ones for me, and may God have you all in his 
safe keeping.'-' 

As to the flogging, he writes — " Two sentries, who deserted 
their post last night, were flogged this morning. It is sickening, 
this continual flogging, but there is no help for it ; '' and 
again — " Went the rounds last night. No sentries asleep, so 
no flogging this morning, thank goodness. ''' 

The Diary abounds with indications of a vigorous, capable, 
and unflinching personality. His determination and skill in 
working with and managing the Arabs, particularly displayed 
in his politic negotiations with Tippu-Tib, by which at last he 
obtained the carriers he required — his interview with Muni 
Katomba at Kassongo — his ungrudging labours at Yambuya 
before the last start from that home of misery — his unmur- 
muring endurance of toil and hunger in the march through the 
forest to Banalya — his fearless return march to Stanley Falls 
in the face of great dangers — his untiring efforts to secure 
another Arab commander to come with him — his splendid oflier 
to pledge his fortune for the sake of the Expedition — his 
unflinching refusal to depart from the route which Stanley 
had ordered him to follow — his declaration that Barttelot, 
when he was murdered, was carrying out Stanley's orders, and 
that he meant to do the same — all of which acts show how he 
rose to the occasion of a great crisis : these are the doings of a 
competent and sagacious man, worthy of the part to which he 
had been appointed and of the praise of which his Commander 
has most selfishly and ungenerously sought to rob him. 



xxvi PREFACE. 

Amidst all the toils and changes of camp-life Jameson found 
time to gratify his love of natural history and to employ his 
valuable powers of observation. Unhappily^ a large part of 
his valuable collection was lost when the camp he had just 
marched from was looted by the Arabs, in whose charge it was 
left. 

There is no doubt that, if he had been possessed of more 
opportunity and had his life been spared, he would have con- 
tributed largely to the scientific results of the Expedition. 

All noble lives are instinct with a purpose. They read the 
secret of their destiny, and find no rest until they work it out, 
wherever it may lead. Results they fear not, although it be 
their fate, as that of many gone before, to ^' perish in the 
wilderness.^^ 

ANDEEW JAMESON. 

Dublin, December lOth, i890. 



INTEODIJOTION. 



James Sligo Jameson was born on the 17th of August, 1856, 
at the Walk House,, Alloa^ Clackmannanshire. His father^ 
Andrew Jameson^ was a son of John Jameson, of Dublin. He 
held agencies for some estates in Scotland, and was a man of 
great cultivation and refinement, possessed of both literary 
and scientific tastes. His wife, Margaret, daughter of James 
Cochrane, of Glen Lodge, Sligo, died a few days after the 
birth of their third son, James. 

At a very early age the tastes of the child foretokened those 
which were to form the ruling interest of his after-life, viz. 
those for travel and natural history in all its branches. When 
quite a small boy, between four and five years old, his grand- 
mother once found him, at a late hour of the night, poring 
over a map, which, strangely enough, was the map of Africa. 
She asked him why he bad not gone to bed, as it was some 
hours past his usual time. ^'^Oh, grandmamma ! '^ he said, "\ 
want to learn all about these strange countries, for I mean to 
be a big traveller some day.'*' 

In 1867 Jameson was sent to Dreghorn, a boarding-school 
near Edinburgh, under Mr. Dalgleish, of which, in after-life, 
he always spoke as *' an ideal school for boys.^'' 

Dreghorn lies at the foot of the Pentland hills, surrounded 
by woods. Through the beautiful park flows a stream which 
then held many a trout ; and here it was that Jameson first 
developed those instinctive tastes for natural history, love 
for all animals, and keen interest in their habits, which 
formed such a marked tiait in his character, even in childhood. 
Many are the treasures which even in those early days were 



xxvill INTRODUCTION. 

ancumulated_, and which formed the nucleus of his later valuable 
collection. 

Speaking of his childhood^ his aunt^ Mrs. Burd, writes : — 
^' He knew every bird and live thing in the neighbourhood and 
their habits ; and his joy and pride when he found a Roseate 
Tern is a thing not to be forgotten. I do not think he knew 
what the word /ear meant."^ 

He had long been anxious to procure some young Choughs 
which had built their nest high up on the cliffs at the back of 
Glen Lodge. At last he devised a plan by laying three ladders 
together, and^ at the risk of his neck^ succeeded in reaching 
the nest and bringing down four little ones. He took the 
greatest trouble in preparing their food^ making it as like what 
he thought their mother would give them as possible, and even 
feeding them with a match which he shaped like her bill. He 
kept them in his own room^ so that he might hear them the 
moment they cried for food^ which was usually about five in the 
mornings and he refused to go on a shooting expedition to which 
he had long looked forward, until one of his cousias promised 
faithfully to take charge of and feed them at the same early hour. 
He kept them for about three weeks_, putting them^ in the day- 
time, in a pheasant-box on the lawn. But, alas ! on the very 
night of his return from his shooting, a Bedlington named 
*' Peachem '' got at the box and killed them all ! The boy was 
dreadfully grieved, and retired to his own room for some time. 
When asked by his uncle whether he had '' given Peachem a 
good licking/^ he replied, ^' No ; why should I hurt the poor 
brute and make him miserable as well as myself? It's only 
his nature, and he knew no better.''^ 

Small traits of this kind were an early indication of the kind 
and gentle nature which, in later life, so fascinated all who 
knew him. 

Upon quitting Dreghorn, he went to the International 
College at Isle worth, until, in 1873, he began reading for the 
army. This, however_, he abandoned in 1877, when he started 
on the first of his travels to Ceylon^ Calcutta^ Singapore, and 
Borneo. From Borneo he returned with a fine collection of 
birds, butterflies, and beetles. 



INTRODUCTION, xxix 

At the close of 1878 he went out again^ — this time to South 
Africa, — in search of big game. 

After a few weeks^ hunting on the borders of the Kalahari 
Desert^ where he obtained excellent sport in the veldt belonging 
to the chief Montsioa^ he returned to Potchefstroom, to com- 
meuce preparations for a more extensive trip into the Zambesi 
District. The town was at this time in a general state of 
excitement^ owing to the presence of some 700 disaffected 
Boers_, who, fully armed, were camped just outside the town, 
blocking the road to Pretoria, and stopping all the mails. 
Their latest act of audacity had been to seize and detain a 
special despatch sent by Colonel Tucker, of the 80th Regt., 
then quartered in the town, to Sir Garnet Wolseley. Upon 
hearing of this, Jameson at once offered to ride to Pretoria 
with a second despatch. His ojfiper was accepted, and he started 
that night bearing the important document, with power to shoot 
anyone who might attempt to detain him. The next morning 
he encountered a party of about sixty Boers^ who stopped and 
closely questioned him. Having allayed their suspicions, 
Jameson rode on, making no pause and taking no rest until 
he reached Pretoria, and safely delivered the despatch to Sir 
Garnet Wolseley. 

Having completed his outfit, he now started for the interior, 
leaving Zeerust as the last civilized town on his route. From 
here he trekked along the Great Marico Kiver, where he had 
excellent fishing, up to the Crocodile or Limpopo River, 
meeting with large game in great abundance. At Shoshong 
he was joined by Mr. H. Collison, who had been hunting in 
Africa for four years ; and at this place he also heard from 
Mr. F. C. Selous, the well-known African hunter, who pro- 
mised to join the party at Gubuluwayo. Pushing on, therefore, 
through the "Great Thirst-Land,^^ Jameson arrived at Um- 
ganin, where he made acquaintance with Lo Bengula, King of 
the Matabeles, who received the travellers with great cordiality, 
granting them willing permission to hunt in his country. His 
friendly behaviour towards Jameson was on this, as on all 
subsequent occasions, unvarying. 

Mr. Selous having joined them, they now took leave of the 



XXX INTRODUCTION, 

King, who sent with them an induna to guard their waggons 
and property ; and the party proceeded into Mashona Land, 
where they obtained splendid shooting. 

In July^ Selous and Jameson started for six weeks' hunting 
in the Fly Country^ and were able to demonstrate the junction 
of the two rivers^ the Umvuli and the Umnyati *. 

In connexion with this shooting-expedition of 1879, the 
following letter from J. M. Sadleir, Esq._, will not be without 
interest to the reader : — 

Easton Neston, Towcester, 
November 29, 1890. 

My dear ♦lAMEi^'ON, 

.... 1 must say I can never forget your brother's 
kindness to me in Africa. I send you the particulars. 

In the month of Aprils 1879, I was travelling from Durban, 
Natal, up country. I was taken ill with dysentery at Colenzo. 
When I had been bad for a fortnight, and was lying in a shed 
attached to the hotel, your brother^ who was trekking to the 
Zambesi, found me. He at once went back to his camp and 
brought Dr. Sketchly, one of his party, who attended to me 
for some days, till I could be moved. Jameson then had a 
hammock slung for me in one of his waggons, and took me up 
country with him, till I was strong enough to go back to 
Durban. To his treatment and care alone I believe I owe my 
life. 

Very sincerely yours, 

J. M. Sadleir. 

Andrew Jameson, Esq, 

In the spring of 1881, Jameson returned to England, 
bringing with him a fine collection of large heads, as well as 
birds, butterflies, beetles, flowers, and grasses. 

In the following year he went out to the Eocky Mountains 
with his brother, Mr. John A. Jameson. In the Crazy 
Mountains, and near the upper waters of the Musselshell in 
Eastern Montana, they shot several bear, wapiti, bufiBlo, deer, 
and antelope. 

* See Proceedings of the Koyal Geog-raphical Society,' June 1881, 
F. C. Selous. 



INTRODUCTION. XXXi 

In 1883 they went through the Crow Reservation, Montana 
Territory, on to the North Fork of the Stinking Water, in 
search of sheep, of which they obtained thirty-six, besid(?s 
several buffalo, bears, wapiti, &c. 

In 1884 Jameson travelled through Spain and Algeria ; and 
upon his return in 1885 he married Ethel, daughter of the late 
Major-General Sir Henry Marion Durand, H.E., K.C.S.I., C.B. 

Two years later, in January 1887, the attention and sym- 
pathy of all England were attracted to the Expedition for the 
relief of Emin Pasha — Gordon's worthy lieutenant and friend — 
which was on the eve of departure for Africa, under the com- 
mand of Mr. H. M. Stanley. The scheme was one which 
could not fail to appeal most strongly to Jameson's chivalrous 
nature ; moreover, it promised almost boundless scope for the 
exercise of his special talent for natural history research. He 
at once volunteered his services to Mr. Stanley, who readily 
accepted them. 

The following words are taken from a letter written on 
January 22, 1887;, by him to Lady Durand : — 

^^ . . . . Why all' the ambitions of my lifetime should have 
been concentrated at this time, with a seemingly prosperous 
issue, I know not ; but I assure you that I did not accept 
the position without weighmg well all there was for and 
against it. Ever since my childhood I have dreamt of doing 
some good in this world, and making a name which was more 
than an idle one. My life has been a more or less selfish 
one, and now springs up the opportunity of wiping off a little 
of the long score standing against me. Do not blame m.e too 
much. ... I must thank you for your generous kind-hearted 
wishes. . . ."" 

A sadder tale than that contained in these diaries has seldom 
been told; for, strive as he would to lighten its hopeless 
misery, even Jameson^s bright and dauntless spirit was weighed 
down by the wretchedness of the position in which he was 
placed; and, had it not been for the sincere friendship which 
arose between Edmund Musgrave Barttelot and himself, the 
tale would have b: en sadder still. 



xxxil INTRODUCTION, 

The letters and diaries graphically describe his share in the 
Expedition, speaking more powerfully than any panegyric could 
do for the single-hearted, loyal, and courageous spirit in which 
he met all difficulties and bore every hardship and bitter dis- 
appointment, as he saw his dearest hopes, one after the other, 
shattered by the exigencies of a position in which the revolting 
duties of a slave-driver were forced upon him ; whilst every 
opportunity for scientific work was ruthlessly withdrawn. 

We only add a few words, written by one who knew and 
appreciated him : — 

" His character was one which it was impossible to know 
without loving — unselfish and generous, pure-hearted and 
brave ; a rare combination of manly strength and courage with 
the most tender sweetness and gentleness of spirit. Seldom, if 
ever, has such an instance been known to me of utter forget- 
fulness of self and thoughtful ness for others, at all times and 
under all circumstances.^' 



CHAPTER I. 

EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS. 

Joinino- Stanley and Officers of the Expedition. — Zanzibar. — Tippu-Tib. — 
War between Soudanese and Zanzibaris. — Stories about Tippu-Tib.— 
Cape Town. — Buying" dogs.— Stanley refuses carrier for .Jameson's 
collecting-things and big rifle. — Banana Point. 

Until the start up the Congo, on March 19th, 1887, 
Jameson kept no regular diary. The following extracts 
are taken from letters to his wife : — 

S.S, Peshawur. lied Sea. 

Fehruary 1887.—. . . I met Stanley at Suez, with the ^1887.^ 
black troops, awaitinsj the Navarino. which had not J ^T^ 
yet come through the Oanal. He advised me to go on 
to Aden, where I should meet Major Barttelot, who is 
one of the staff. We have got Dr. Parke as doctor to 
the Expedition, who went through the Soudanese War 
and behaved splendidly. . . . 

S.S, Oriental. Aden. 

Fehruary 10th. — . . . I have met Barttelot, and 
like him very much indeed. He is to have command 
of the black troops, as he speaks their language and 
has seen a good deal of them in Egypt. We are 
going to have a charming night of it. Another British- 
India boat has just arrived, and they will be all night 
transhipping their cargo on to our steamer. To-morrow 

B 



2 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

Febfl'o ^® ^^ ^^^^ ^^^ outer harbour to await the arrival 
Aden.* ^^ ^^^ Navavino. ... I have just tried to spear an 
enormous cockroach with my pen, but he escaped me ! 

February 12th. — The Navarino has turned up at last, 
and we start some time to-day. Stanley and the whole 
party are here. 

February 17th. — Jephson is in my cabin; he is a 
volunteer, having joined the Expedition on the same 
terms as myself. Stairs has been teaching us mapping, 
and we all get on, so far, capitally together, and I think 
we are likely to go on well, as each man will have his 
own particular duties to attend to. . . . The trying part 
of this Expedition will be the want of news from home. 
However, I am sure to get letters from you on our 
arrival at the Congo. 



S.S. Madura. Zanzibar. 

February 2ord. — ... At last we are on board the 
steamer which is to take us to the Congo. At Lamu I 
landed with Dr. Parke at daybreak, and we spent a few 
hours in quest of game, succeeding, after long walking 
under a hot sun, in shooting three birds — a species of 
partridge. We saw a good many gazelle, but did not 
get any 1 made a sketch of the village. Next day we 
stopped at Mombasa, but I had no time to go on shore. 
Yesterday we arrived here ; and I must say I was 
agreeably surprised with the w^hole place — town, har- 
bour, and people. The streets are only about five feet 
wide ; but the windows and doors are all carved in dif- 
ferent designs, and the effect of the black carved wood 
against the pure white building is very picturesque. I 
wish I had time to etch some of them., or even to 
make rough sketches. This morning we got up at 
5 A.M. and went on shore to the powder-magazine, 
where we remained at work until 6.30 p.m. I don't 
think I ever put in a harder twelve hours' work ; but it 
does one good. We packed 4,500 lbs. of powder in 



Feb. 23. 
Zanzibar. 



EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS. 

special cases which came out from home, besides a ^i?^7. 
lot of work with caps. To-morrow evening we are 
all dining at the British Consulate, and next morning 
(thank goodness!) we sail for the Congo. We have 
sixty-one donkeys on board, and the braying that they 
keep up at night is dreadful. One starts it, and the 
others prolong the chorus in different keys ad infinitum. 
To-morrow morning 600 Zanzibaris are coming on board ; 
then we get at least 600 more at the Congo, which, 
with the Soudanese troops, vdll make a good lot of men. 
Goodness knows how we are going to feed them all, 
for they seem a hungry set ! . . . 

February 2bth. — I am not going to keep a diary 
until I start up the Congo, that all the time that I 
can give to wTiting may be given to you. So I shall 
write every day, and send it all from the Cape when 
we call there. ... At Lamu, of which I spoke in my 
last letter, there are the remains of a great battle, the 
whole shore being covered with bones and skulls. 
Some of our party gathered very good specimens. I 
believe the fight was one between the Arabs and the 
natives. Mombasa — a quaint old town, full of old 
Portuguese ruins — possesses a pretty and almost land- 
locked harbour. Oif the Island of Pemba we fished 
vnth land-lines over the stern of the steamer, and 
caught a number of fish, small, but of the most beau- 
tiful colours — some bright red, others barred with blue, 
silver, and brown — a kind of bream or sea-perch, I 
think. . . . The Sultan's Palace at Zanzibar is a won- 
derful structure, quite square, with an enormous cor- 
rugated iron roof, about four stories high — quite the 
ugliest building I have ever seen, looking very like 
an immense doll's house. Imagine my surprise when 
I heard that the famous Tippu-Tib was coming 
with us round to the Congo and on to Emin Bey. 
Six hundred of his fighting men are to meet us at 
Stanley Falls. After dinner, at the Consulate, Ave 
were all introduced to Tippu-Tib, who is a fine old 
Arab, very lively, and a thorough old gentleman. 

b2 



4 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 

We started to-day at daybreak. Tippu-Tib has about 
20 wives on board, and, including wives, 90 followers 
altogether. They have all been more or less sea-sick, 
with the exception of his interpreter. It was most 
amusing to see old Tippu led off by the interpreter 
and taken below, trying to walk straight, and make 
jokes — his man in hts of laughter. War broke out 
this morning between the Soudanese and the Zan- 
zibaris. It was not until some damage had been done 
to both sides that order was restored. I was standing 
by the main hatch with Mr. Stanley, when his servant 
ran up to him, and said the niggers in the fore- 
hold were killing one another. Mr. Stanley, Nelson, 
Jephson and I ran forward, and the sight that met 
our eyes Avas exactly like an " Inferno " by Gustavo Dore. 
They all had great clubs, and were fighting like 
demons. We went down and drove the Zanzibaris 
into one place and the Soudanese into another ; but 
it took some time to disarm them and get them to 
cool down. I took an iron bar from a man Avho had 
broken one man's arm, and the finger of another. 
These, and a large number of broken heads, con- 
stituted the results of the fight. All has been quiet 
since. 

February 2Qth. — Busy aU day, making vocabulary 
of Swahili language, which the Zanzibaris and Somalis 
all speak. The Somalis are twelve picked men, pro- 
cured at Aden ; they are to be armed with Winchester 
rifles, for Stanley's special guard — splendid fellows, and 
they all speak English. In the afternoon I had to find 
out, and write down, the names of the 117 men who 
have been placed under my charge. I have one 
splendid boy amongst them, who is my interpreter, 
and whom I am going to teach to skin birds ; he is one 
of the most intelligent little chaps I have ever seen. 
To-day some of those troublesome Soudanese soldiers 
attempted to take liberties mth some of Tippu-Tib's 
mves; in consequence there has been a row, and a 
special sentry placed over their apartments. 



EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS. 5 

After dinner Mr. Stanley told us a few stories about 1^87. 
Tippu-Tib. It seems that at one time he borrowed ^^ ' 
about £4,000 from the Rothschild of Zanzibar, and 
started into the interior with a good many followers 
to trade for ivory. After some time he came to a very 
large native town, enclosed within double palisades. 
The town was so large that, if a gun was hred off at 
any point in the outer circle, it could not be heard at 
an opposite point in the same circle. The king kept 
all his ivory and wives within the inner palisade, and 
there were 10,000 warriors guarding him in the outer 
circle. After keeping Tippu for a long time in his 
town, the king gave an order that, should any of his 
men catch Tippu alone outside, they should kill him. 
One day he left the town by himself, and on his way 
back he met two of the king's men, who began to shoot 
at him with bows and arrows. He ran for the gate of 
the town, but just as he reached it an arrow struck him 
in the leg and brought him down; he got up again 
and running towards his own camp, he shouted out to 
his people to bring him his gun. He was again struck 
and knocked down, but his wife managed to give him 
his gun, with which he shot both of the king's men. 
The shots roused the king's warriors, and brought all 
Tippu's men running into his camp. They first shot 
down a number of the natives, and when about one 
hundred of them had mustered, Tippu ordered them to 
rush for the gate of the big town, and to fire all 
together as the warriors came on. This they did, and 
burned the houses nearest to them. The fight lasted 
three days, by which time they had burned all the 
outer circle of the town. They then proceeded to fire 
through the inner palisade, until they had decimated 
the people gathered inside; then they made a rush, 
seized and beheaded the king, and captured all the 
ivory and Avomen. Tippu next went to all the smaller 
towns in the kingdom and collected enormous quan- 
tities of ivory, which he afterwards sold at the coast 
for £40,000. He became king of a whole country, 
entirely through his own cunning. He once came to 



6 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

p^b^26 ^ Strange country, where he was told that the king had 
At sea.' ^^^^ taken away years before, with his little son, and 
that the natives had long expected his return. Having 
asked numerous questions of every native he met, 
without saying who he was, Tippu-Tib at length said to 
one man, " Had your king not such and such coloured 
eyes % " The man said, " Yes." Tippu then exactly 
described the king, until the native said, " Why, that 
is the very man ! " — w^hen Tippu told him he was the 
son who had gone away with the old king, and that he 
was to go and tell all the people. This he at once did, 
when they came to him with presents of all kinds : and 
to make a long story short, he is king of that country at 
the present time. The following is a specimen of his 
cruelty : — He was once attacked by a tribe, of whom he 
succeeded in making some prisoners. He knew he 
would be attacked by them again, so he killed all the 
captives, and having cut them up small, he put them in 
large pots to boil, mixing up bananas and all sorts oi 
things, until a rich savoury aroma arose firom the pots. 
When he was attacked by the natives, he pretended to 
retreat, and watched his enemies — who had found the 
pots on the fire — set to and ravenously eat up their 
ow^n people. 

March 2nd. — . . . This morning Mr. Stanley read to 
me Tennyson's ' Ulysses.' . . . All the spare time I had 
to-day I was reading the ' Light of Asia.' . . . Stanley 
says he has got a copy with him, too. He gave us all 
the most lovely little medicine-chests to-day. 

March ord. — Out of the tropics at last, and the 
weather is decidedly cooler. . . . Not an item of interest, 
again ! The only things which seem to change at all 
on board are the horrible smells from the crowd of 
natives ; and they only change in so far that they are at 
times much worse than at others. . . . 

March 1th. — . . . I have heard the real story from 
Stanley as to how he got Tippu-Tib to come with us. 
Before leaving Ensjland, he heard that Tippu was in 



EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS. 7 

Zanzibar. He at once telegraphed that he particularly iiJar^7 
wished to see him, and to keep him at any price until At sea 
his arrival. When Stanley saw him at Zanzibar, Tippu 
first said he would stop our going in at all ; so Stanley 
assured him that we were quite willing and prepared to 
fight him, but that he had better take care what he was 
about. He then gave him the choice of fighting us 
and taking the consequences, or of helping us and 
being made Governor of Stanley Falls, under the King 
of the Belgians. Next day Tippu-Tib said he would 
accept the latter ; and Stanley telegraphed the same to 
Belgium, and received a reply confirming the appoint- 
ment. The night we dined at the British Consulate, 
Tippu-Tib signed an agreement to help us in every 
way, and was made Governor. He is not going with 
us further than Stanley Falls himself, but is sending his 
head men with us, and 600 fighting-men. We expect to 
reach Emin Bey in July; so that, if we come back 
down the Congo, we ought to be home in no time. A 
more definite time than this I cannot give you ; I wish 
to God I could ! . . . 

March Sth. — Arrived in Simon's Bay. . . . 

March 9th. — Lady Hunt-Grubbe and her daughters 
came with the Governor and inspected the ship, and 
showed great interest in Tippu-Tib and especially in 
his wives. Eeached Cape Town about 7 o'clock. 

March lOrh. — ^Went on shore with Jephson and 
Nelson to buy a lot of things and to get dogs. . . . 
Had a delicious breakfast on shore, . . . and searched 
all the morning for dogs. We collected a very curious 
lot, consisting of bull-dogs, bull-terriers, fox-terriers, a 
Bedlington, and several unknown species. Mr. Stanley 
bought the two fox-terriers — one for himself, and one 
as a present for Tippu-Tib. Jephson and I secured the 
two large bull-terriers, and tossed up for them. The 
large brindled one fell to me, and a horribly low white 
one to Jephson. They are about the two most ruffianly- 
looking dogs I have ever seen. 



8 STORY OF THE HEAR COLUMN. 

M^^ii March 11th. — . . . The deck is quite lively with all 
Cape ^^ ^og^ ; but the increase of insects of the carnivorous 
Town, species is much to be deplored. . . . 

March IWi. — A donkey died : the first death on 
board, with the exception of a few goats. . . . 

March l^th — A Zanzibari died to-day, and was con- 
signed to the deep. It is horrible the way the natives 
neglect their sick, or any one of them who is hurt. 
Busy most of the day in packing musket-caps into new 
boxes for Emin Pasha. . . . 

March Ibth, — Jephson, disgusted with the low habits 
and appearance of his dog, flung him overboard in the 
dead of the night, with a furnace-bar attached to him. 
Alas ! poor Bill, his life on board was a short and any- 
thing but a merry one. 

March 16f A.— Another Zanzibari died to-day, of in- 
flammation of the lungs. 

March 17th. — You cannot tell what real joy your 
letter and telegram brought me at the Cape. I could 
hardly believe my eyes when they brought them to me ! 
. . . One thing that makes one sad is knowing that, 
after a time, it will be hard to send you any letters 
or news. ... To add to my cheerfulness, Mr. Stanley 
informed me yesterday that he would not give me a 
man either to carry my collecting- things, or my big 
rifle and its ammunition. This is a bright look-out 
for me, who came to collect, and shoot meat for the 
Expedition. Mr. Stanley was present when I was 
speaking to De Winton about my big rifle, and advised 
me to take shells for it. I have, however, reduced my 
wearing-apparel and my bedding to so little that I can 
take most of my collecting-things ; and some of the other 
fellows have been good enough to offer to carry some 
of them for me. I have reduced myself to one spare 
coat besides the one on my back, one pair of boots on 
and one pair packed, one blanket, and all the rest on 
the same scale. Thus, at the expense of all my own 



EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS. 9 

personal comfort, I can take my collecting- things — or 1887. 
at least some of them. All this certainly takes a ^^ e 
good deal of the gilt off the trip to me ; but though I Town, 
must say I was rather mad at first, I am now making 
the best of a bad business. I have had to give or 
throw away every ounce of my tobacco ; but the empty 
tins will come in beautifully for " bugs " and small bird- 
skins. ... I shall take the big rifle on shore, and hire 
men myself to carry it, whenever we have to go overland, 
until we reach Stanley Falls, w^here I hope to get a couple 
of men from Tippu-Tib to carry it on to Wadelai. . . . 

March ISth [Banana Point]. — . . . We start up the 
river to-morrow ; and as we begin to put everything on 
board at daybreak, I shall have no time to Avrite to you 
in the morning, and must make up my mind to say 
" Good-bye ; " for this is at last the great start of the 
Expedition : God knows, I can hardly pluck up courage 
to say it ! 



Slave Girl. 




^■^I^s^*^t 



Peter's Fetish. 



CHAPTEH II. 



DIARY. 



1887. 
Mar. 19. 

Congo. 



March 19th to Aphil SOth. 

Boma. — Ango-Ango. — Mpalaballa Mission Station. — March to Congo da 
Lemba. — Banza Manteka. —Day's marcli resembling slave- driving. — 
Kuilii River. — March to Vombo. — Stanley doing rear-guard. — Barttelot 
sent on with Soudanese. — Sick chief. — Lutete. — Kindness of the mis- 
sionaries. — Stanley settling a row. — Inkissi River. — Thief. — Stanley's 
punishment of chiefs. — Off to shoot hippo. — Difficulty about steamers. 
— Kinshassa. — Ward joins the Expedition. 

March 19th, 1887. — Started up the Congo at last in the 
Dutch Co.'s steamer Nieman, Nelson, myself, and 232 
men. We were the first to start. Next came the 
British Congo Co.'s steamer Albuquerque with cargo, 
and Dr. Parke and his company. Mr. Stanley follows 
in the Portuguese steamer Serpa Pinto, with about 300 
men and the donkeys, and Major Barttelot and Jephson 
bring up the rear in another steamer with the remainder 
of the men. The view as far as Kishanga is very 
limited, as the banks are covered with dense tropical 



BOMA. 

March 20th. — Passed Borna, the principal town (?) 
of the Congo Free State. It consists of a few factories 
or trading-honses, Dutch, French, Belgian, and Por- 
tuguese, also a French and English Mission. It is very 
prettily situated, and in a more flourishing condition of 
things may, I suppose, become a big place. There is 
a large, beautiful pool above Boma, after which the 
river runs between liigh barren hills on botli sides, 
for although they appear brilliantly verdant, the hard 



Mar. 19. 
Congo. 



DIARY. 11 

vegetation, and the hi^h land at the back is only now 1887 
and again visible. After Kishanga the river opens out, 
with beautiful undulating country on either side, and 
we pass numerous large grass-covered islands. The 
English Mission Station appears on the sky-line of the 
uplands on the right, immediately after entering the 
river. A good fresh breeze blowing from the sea all 
day prevented one feeling the heat. At Mataba, the 
river opens out grandly. Here the banks are low, 
discovering beautiful undulating grassy country at the 
back. Anchored at Alligator Biver at one o'clock. 
From the top deck of the steamer we could see nearly 
twenty miles of country on every side. We lay opposite 
Peter's Fetish, a beautiful rock, partially covered with 
trees. 




12 



STOEY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 



1887. 
Mar. 20. 

Ango- 
Ango. 



red rock betrays itself on every square yard. Arrived 
at Ango-Aiigo at 2.40. Mr. Stanley passed at 5 o'clock 
in the Serpa Phito for Matadi, and shouted out a 
message which I could not understand. Sent a mes- 
senger overland to him. The answer arrived at 10 p.m. 
to have everything ready to ship on board the Serjja 
Pinto at 7 o'clock next morning, and Parke and Nelson 
to walk with their men overland. 

March 21st. — Stayed at the Dutch House with Mr. 
Cramer, who gave Nelson and myself beds, and the best 
of everything. Parke and Nelson started for Matadi. 
The Serpa Pinto steamed past about 10 o'clock without 
stopping, leaving Mr. Walker and myself with the cargo 
on shore looking after her ! A little later the Por- 
tuguese gunboat came up with Barttelot on board, and 
took off most of the cargo. Then Jephson came down 
from Matadi in the Heron, and took off the remainder 
with my men. Arrived at Matadi about 5 o'clock, 
having had nothing to eat all day, and then had to tow 




Ango-Ango. 



up the cargo in a lighter to Stanley, who was at the 
Portuguese Factory. I tramped back in the dark, 
thoroughly disgusted with everyone and everything, to 
get my first square meal that day. Visions of sketching 
&c. are rapidly fading. 




bo 



DIARY. 13 

March 22nd. — Hard at work all day breaking open ^^'^^ 
cases and making up loads. Slept in the Portuguese ^^^, ^' 
House. They are very kind to us, and feed and " drink " 
us right royally. 

March 2?>rd. — The cry is still we break open cases 
and make up loads. Had a grand parade of men and 
distributed Eemington rifles, with which I hope they 
won't shoot us, and spears, which from their rottenness 
are comparatively harmless, half of them being already 
without heads. 

March 24:th. — Marched about three quarters of a mile 
over to the Congo State Station. They gave us breakfast, 
but after that left us entirely to ourselves. Had some 
practice with the Maxim gun, which worked wonderfully 
well. Mr. Walker left for the Mposo Eiver, with the iron 
boat, in order to put it together. 

March 2bth. — Marched to the Mposo Eiver, over one 
of the worst roads I have ever seen, up and down masses 
of cinder-like rock and broken quartz : my donkey fell 
three times, and it was lucky I did not attempt to 
ride him ; I very nearly shot him in simple disgust. 
Found the boat not put together, and when we did get 
it in the river, it took us hours to cross, pulling it 
backwards and forwards on a rope. This miserable 
little river is scarcely more than thirty yards wide. 

March 2Uh. — Marched to Mpalaballa Mission Station. 
Went ahead of most of my men, and had a de- 
lightful walk. The road much better than yesterday, 
and the country very pretty indeed. Shot a AVhydah 
finch, black, with yellow shoulders. Mr. Clarke, the 
head of the Mission, and the ladies treated us with the 
greatest hospitality. 

March 21th. — Remained all day at Mpalaballa, waiting 
for men with loads from Matadi. Met Mr. Ingham, 
who is one of our staff, and came out here straight from 
England, coming down with native carriers to carry our 
loads up country, which are far in excess of the number 



14 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN, 

Mar^27 ^^ ^^^ Zanzibaris. He gave us a very bad account oi 

Mpaia- ^^^ condition of the steamers on the Upper Congo 

baiia. The country round here is very beautiful, but without 

any game, although bird and insect life seem to be on 

the increase. I was very busy all day sorting loads, and 

parading men. 

March 2Sth. — Marched to Massam Mankengi. The 
path seems to be made to cut the soles off one's boots, 
and the donkeys do nothing but tumble up the hills, or 
tumble down them. The order was given this morning 
that we were to march in the rear of the men, and assist 
them with their loads, so good-bye to all chances oi 
collecting. 

March 29th. — Marched to the deserted native village 
of Congo da Lemba, which, until burnt by the Congo 
Free State, was a flourishing native town. The Congo 
Free State people have burnt the huts and driven away 
the natives from nearly every village on the road, 
consequently there is not a scrap of food to be obtained 
for love or money. They say that the natives inter- 
fered with their carriers on the road. The work we 
are doing is not fit for any Avhite man, but ought to be 
given to slave-drivers. It is all very nice for Mr. Stanley, 
who rides ahead straight on to the next camp, where 
we arrive hours afterwards, having done nothing all day 
but kick lazy carriers, and put the loads on to the heads 
of those who choose to fling them down. On arriving 
in camp one has to go over all the loads to see that 
they are correct, then stack them and interview the men 
about the loads that have gone ^^Tong; so that it is 
dark before one has even time to wash. I have given 
up all hopes of collecting, although I have seen many 
birds, and especially butterflies, that I should dearly 
like to have obtained. 

March 30M. — Rained nearly all morning, so did not 
start until late for the Lufu River. The Bembezi 
River was in flood, and ha^4ng got all the men and 
loads over, we found Mr. Stanley had gone on miles 



DIAItY. 15 

ahead. We eventually pulled up in tlie dark, in the ^\ 
middle of a tropical forest, the men throwing down j^^ ' 
their loads, and going to sleep in every direction. Elver. 
Dr. Parke was in the front of the column. Stairs and 
myself in the centre, next came Jephson and Barttelot, 
Nelson bringing up the rear-guard. The column being 
over a mile long, when it became dark some of the 
most advanced had reached camp. Stairs and Parke 
soon gave it up as hopeless, and bolted for camp. I, 
finding myself deserted, lit my lantern and only piece 
of candle, and struck out for camp also, leaving the 
men hopelessly lost in the bush to make the best of 
the night. Shortly after arriving in camp (where 
Mr. Stanley regaled us with rice, biscuit, tea and 
brandy, and the latter was very acceptable, as I had 
waded the river and been soaking wet for hours), 
Barttelot and Jephson turned up, but Nelson slept in 
the wood, in the camp belonging to a man who was 
bringing up things for the Sanford Expedition. In 
consequence of this night, some of the loads were lost, 
and several of the men bolted. I slept on the ground 
in Mr. Stanley's tent, on my waterproof — about as hard 
a bed as I ever had. From this you will observe what 
a splendid expedition it is for a naturalist. It is some- 
times very hard to think of all the glory of relieving 
Emin Bey. 

March ^Ist. — Having got the men and the loads 
out of the wood, we started amidst much grumbling 
from the men, who had had nothing to eat, and marched 
to the Lufu Eiver. Here there is a ford, and also a 
curious old swinging bridge of native construction, 
with large gaps in it every few yards, and a deep drop 
into the river if one fell. A couple of miles further on 
we camped. 

Mr. Stanley here behaved to me in a way which was 
utterly undeserved, and which I did not expect from 
him. On passing the Lufu River he was attacked with 
acute dysentery, and although he was apparently all 
right again in the evening, he was weak, and had to bo 



16 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

1887. carried from the river to the camp. When there I went 
LufuE ^^ ^™ ^^ report that one of my men had deserted with 
his gun on the march, and at the same time said I was 
very sorry to hear that he had been so ill. He turned 
round very sharply and said, "No wonder. I have only 
you to thank for it. I have had nothing but tea for 
two days, whilst you have had meat for your breakfast 
yesterday, and I consider you are entirely to blame for 
my illness." I may here state that I had volunteered to 
take over the cooking and ration arrangements for a 
week, as no one else seemed inclined to look after them, 
and before we really could often get nothing to eat. 
The facts about his having had no meat for two days 
are the following : — The evening before leaving Congo 
da Lemba I sent a messenger to ask him if I should kill 
a goat or the four fowls which were in camp, as there 
was no meat. The message sent back by his own 
servant, William, was, " Save the goat and kill the four 
fowls, if they will be enough for to-night." I killed the 
fowls, and they were quite enough, for some of the 
other officers had some in the morning. Jephson, Stairs, 
and I breakfasted next morning in my tent on a tin of 
sardines, the last but one that I had, so that Mr. Stan- 
ley's taunt that I had meat when he had none falls to the 
ground. That morning it rained for hours, and he would 
not say whether we were to march or remain, so that it 
was utterly impossible to kill any meat. He then ar- 
ranged his march, so that in the middle of the night the 
goats were left in the wood, and he marched again next 
morning before they were out of it. He then turns 
round and says that it is entirely my fault that he is ill. 
Altogether I think the whole business is a very thank- 
less job, and the moment this week is over the cooking 
arrangements may go to the devil for all I care. 

April 1st. — Marched to the American Mission 
Station, Banza Manteka, a beautifully situated spot, 
standing high and surrounded by wooded valleys, 
brilliant with tropical verdure. The water here is 
worse than any I have seen, too dirty to wash in. 



DIABY, 



17 



I obtained a number of good butterflies out of the 
Mission garden. After dinner a fearful thunderstorm 
came on, and blew in the end of the officers' tent. 
From the door of mine, which was snug and dry, I had 
a beautiful view of all the fun, in the middle of which 
a whole pile of ammunition-boxes fell down, to add to 
the confusion. 

April 2nd. — In the morning we had a general parade 
of all the men, and Mr. Stanley addressed each com- 
pany in turn, and I noticed that all the lazy blackguards, 
who had given us the most trouble, were foremost in 
shouting out all sorts of fine things about going on to 
the end of the world with him ! After this came a 
drenching storm of rain, and then we marched six or 
seven miles across the valley and camped. 

Ajpril 3rd. — Had an awful day's work. Had to go 
with Barttelot as rear-guard. Started at 6 a.m., and 
did not get into camp near the Kuilu River until 
nearly 6 p.m. I had nothing to eat the whole day but 
the fifth part of a tin of sardines, and did not sit down 
for more than a quarter of an hour. The work was truly 
sickening, as every twenty yards one had to stop to put 
a load on a man's head who had flung it down, and 
very likely give him a good dose of stick before he 
would go on. There was no rest upon getting into 
camp either, for I had to go over all my loads, stack 
them, and send out men to find those who had not 
come in. The work must greatly resemble slave- 
driving. I succeeded in shooting a swallow, which is the 
same as the small South-African one, and a bee-eater 
which is new to me. Both were skinned by the light 
of a small piece of candle, and the skins are worthless, 
as two days elapsed before I had a chance of drying 
them. 

April 4:th. — Marched on to the Kuilu River, a muddy 
rapid stream, which we had to cross, ten men at a time, 
in an old dug-out canoe. Such is the great road of the 
Congo Free State! This morning, in trying for the 

c 



1887. 
April 1. 

Banza 
Manteka. 

("The 
town of 

mud.") 



18 STOBY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

1887. fii-st time to ride my donkey across a muddy marsh, he 
Kuiiu ^^^ ^^^ ^^^ nearly drowned, precipitating me into the 
River, mud (the blackest I ever have seen), which filled my 
saddle-bags containing my collecting-things ! Early in 
the march we crossed a lovely clear trout-suggestive 
stream, running over and between ridges of pure lime- 
stone, which, says Mr. Stanley, is about the only lime- 
stone we shall see in the whole country. 

April dth. — Still at the Kuilu River — from 6 a.m. to 
early in the afternoon still getting men, loads, and 
donkeys across. 

April Qth. — Marched to Mwembi. On reaching the 
top of a hill, I found all the baggage and tents lying 
on the side of the road, the men being about a quarter 
of a mile off in a native garden, pulling up manioc, and 
seizing whatever they could. No shouts on my part or 
from the chiefs could bring them back, so, taking up a 
good stick, I ran down the hill towards them, and 
having waded through a swamp for about 150 yards, I 
met the first man trying to sneak back. I applied my 
stick, and he made such a row that all the others 
decamped, and when I regained the top of the hill, 1 
found all the tents and baggage gone on. On arrival 
at Mwembi, the news was brought to us that one of 
our chiefs had been shot dead, and one of Tippu-Tib's 
men shot in the hand by some of the natives of a 
village which they had been looting. Went to bed 
dead beat. 

April 7th. — Marched to Vombo, quite the quickest 
march we have done, owing to a good level road, and 
Mr. Stanley doing rear-guard with some of his Somalis 
himself. How he did lay his stick about the lazy ones, 
and the Somalis whacked away too. It was a sight for 
sore eyes to see the lame, the sick, the halt, and the 
blind running with their loads, as if they were feathers ; 
and I was delighted to see some of my men catch it 
hot, after I had been told by Mr. Stanley himself not 
to strike them. The march was otherwise uninteresting, 



DIARY. 19 

over a high plateau, covered vrith long rank grass, ^^?>'^' 
which cut off any view of the land. Camped in an old y^^^ ' 
native village amongst palms, and collected a small 
number of butterflies. 

April Sth. — Marched fromVombo to Lukungu Station. 
The road lay through beautiful country, affording 
glimpses on both sides of valleys filled with tropical 
vegetation. Shortly after leaving camp a severe 
thunderstorm came on. Barttelot and I were doing 
rear- guard, with Stanley a little ahead of us. "We both 
saw one of the lightning flashes strike the side of a hill, 
about 150 yards off, and a small cloud of dust and 
smoke immediately floated away from the spot. It was a 
severe march, as some of the hills were bad, and the wet 
made them worse. Stairs had to shoot his donkey, as his 
boy led it badly down a steep place, and it broke its leg. 
I was getting intensely annoyed with the carriers, who, 
since Mr. Stanley went ahead, had done nothing but sit 
down, and was generally down on my luck towards the 
end of the march, when I saw Parke seated under a 
tree. He gave me a drink of my own whiskey, thirteen 
years old, and then everything changed to a brighter 
hue ; but it also lent strength to my arm, when, within 
a mile from camp, I found all the men had flung down 
their loads, and gone off looting in the native gardens. 
I seized a large stick and went for them. It was more 
than I could bear to be stopped within sight of camp, 
at the end of a long march. I laid about me, and soon 
had them all in camp. 

April 9th. — Barttelot was sent on in the afternoon 
with the Soudanese, and all the worst men in camp, all 
by himself, to be always one day ahead on the road to 
the Pool. It looks strange on Mr. Stanley's part to 
send him by himself with the very worst and most 
rebellious lot in camp, who will not move a yard so 
long as they know that all the food is behind them. 
Barttelot has done a lot of work which he need not 
have done, as it was beyond his actual duties, and it 
seems a poor return for it all. 

c2 



20 8T0RY OF THE REAR COLUMN, 

1887. AprillOth. — After sending Jephson's men to Many- 

^^^ ^ anga to meet him and bring the boat on to Lutete, we 
wanga. marched to Kimbamwanga, where our advanced guard 
ran into Barttelot's rear-guard, already proving that it 
was wrong to send him ahead. This morning Mr. Stanley 
placed me in a very false position with my men. Just 
as we were starting, I told him that one of my chiefs 
was very ill indeed, and that I did not think he could 
go on. He told me not to bring him any reports of 
the kind, that he would not listen to them, and that his 
orders were for all the sick to go on, and that I was to 
see that they did so. I only said, " Very well, sir." I 
behaved very cruelly in making the man get up, amidst 
the murmurs of all the chiefs, and then driving him on. 
In a few yards he fell down, and could not get up. 
Mr. Stanley, on passing, recognized him, and went up to 
see how he was. He called to Dr. Parke to come to 
him, and told him that, as he was a good man, we must 
not lose him ; gave him medicine then, and left more 
with him, at the same time telling one of the officers of 
the State to look after him, get him into a hut, and do 
everything he could for him. Of course all the men 
now look upon me as a brute, and Mr. Stanley as a sort 
of guardian-angel, although I was only carrying out his 
own orders. My dog Bull ran away back to the Station 
at Lukungu, and, poor beast, I am not sorry, for there 
he will be well looked after, and in camp 1 could not 
get him enough to eat. 

April nth. — Marched to the Mpwka Hiver; a short 
march, brought to a close by the river itself being in full 
flood, with only an old rickety wicker-bridge, a few feet 
wide, over which to cross. We felled two trees ; but of 
course they both fell in the wrong direction, as every- 
thing does in this beastly country! By the time the 
donkeys were swum over it was nearly dark. The wood 
was too thick to put up the big tent, which is the worst 
and most useless of its kind I have ever seen in my life. 
Stairs and Nelson slept in part of it which they put up. 
As it promised to be a fine night, Parke and I slept in 



DIARY. 21 

our Ashantee hammocks. Before retiring, we killed a 1887. 
magnificent specimen of a centipede in Stairs' tent. I t^^\ 
was sleeping soundly when, towards morning, down River, 
came a fearful thunder-plump, and before I could get 
my waterproof sheet over me it wetted all my bedding 
and myself ; the rest of the night was not pleasant. Saw 
two splendid kingfishers, and many beautiful butterflies 
on the river ; but it made me quite sick not to have a 
moment to collect anything. Got a beautiful shell- 
backed spider with horns on the back, the same that I 
have seen in Borneo ; but I lost it in the confusion of 
the next camp. 

April 12th. — Did a good long march over beautiful 
country to Lutete, where we found Jephson, who had 
got in before us from Manyanga. He gave me the most 
glowing account of the birds and insects on the river, 
which made my mouth water. Barttelot stayed with 
us, as half his men had gone on to Lutete, and the 
other half were so far behind that they were too late to 
go on. The whole idea of his going ahead with these 
men is a perfect farce. The march lay over beautiful 
country gradually rising all the way, the highest hill we 
climbed being 500 feet, measured by Stairs from the 
creek at its foot. From this point there was a lovely 
view down to the Congo on one side, to Lutete on 
another, and behind us to the Mpwka River. One of the 
Somalis died this morning, and several others are very 
bad indeed. 

April IZth. — Had a very easy day. Marched to 
Lutete, the English Baptist Mission Station, beautifully 
situated, standing very high, and I should say quite 
healthy. The missionaries received us with kindness, 
but did not ask us to feast with them ; I suppose we 
were rather a rough-looking lot. Personally, I must 
say I am not so " genteel " looking as when I left town, 
being of a kind of brick-colour, with an untrimmed 
beard of no great length, of a colour to match. One of 
the men was to-day placed in chains for stealing pota- 
toes. Poor Barttelot has a terribly rough time of it 



22 



STOET OF TEE BEAR COLUMN. 



1887. 
April 13. 

Lut6t6. 



with the Soudanese, as he cannot get them along at any 
price. It is a splendid sight to see Mr. Stanley settle 
a row. To-day some of the Soudanese and Zanzibaris 
began fighting about a cooking-pot, and awoke Mr. 
Stanley, who was asleep. He seized a stick, ran in, 
and whacked away right and left, giving one fellow a 
regular facer with his fist, and, in less time than it 
takes to write this, there was perfect quiet ! 

A'pril \i.th. — Had a long march; but the men did 
it splendidly. Made an early start, and camped at 
Nzungi. Bonny lost two of the pack-donkeys at 
Lutete, but turned up about 5 o'clock in the evening 
with them, Mr. Stanley's orders to him being that 
he need not turn up at all unless he found them ! 
Bonny suspects the missionaries of having hidden 
them ; for, when he was left behind, they asked him to 
breakfast, and inquired how long he would wait for the 




donkeys. He replied, probably three or four days, 
that all his boys would be with him, and that the 



DIARY. 



23 



missionaries would have to find them in everything, as 
Mr. Stanley had left them nothing. Two of the mis- 
sionaries then went out, and returned in about an hour 
with the two donkeys, saying that as they were taking 
a stroll they heard one of them bray in response to one 
belonging to the station. Bonny, however, thinks that 
the prospect of keeping him and his boys for three or 
four days produced the donkeys. 

April Ibth. — Marched to the Inkissi River. It is 
now quite a pleasure to see the men walk along cheerily 
with their loads. Our road lay for a long distance close 
to the banks of the Congo. Some of the glimpses of 
the river were very beautiful. I would give anything 
to have time to make a sketch, no matter how rough, 
of some of them. The foliage is gorgeous in colouring. 
Some of the palms bear a bright scarlet flower, growing 
in great clusters down the centre of each branch. 
About half-an-hour from here we passed a dead native 
tied upright to a pole, by the side of the path. Mr. 
Stanley says it is the body of a thief, put up thus as a 
warning to others, and that he was executed by the 
natives themselves. The body was there when Mr. 
Stanley camped in the same place three or four years 
ago, and is mentioned in his book on the Congo Free 



1887. 
April 14. 

Nzungi. 




State. The natives here have a curious method of 
catching birds by hanging long ropes, formed of 



24 8T011Y OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

1887. creepers, from the trees on the edge of the forest to 
Likissi pol^s stuck up in the ground about 15 or 20 yards off. 
Eiver. Hanging from these ropes are numbers of snares, made 

from finer creepers, in which the birds are caught as 

they fly past. 

April IQfh. — All day long crossing the Inkissi River. 
I luckily got across early with all my men, and had a 
glorious time amongst the butterflies, getting some 
magnificent ones, though I daresay the more insig- 
nificant, which T did not fail to catch also, will turn 
out to be the rarest, as is usually the case. Last 
night was a horrible one. We slept in a deserted 
native hut which looked waterproof, and retired with 
fond hopes of a good night; but about four hours 
before daylight it began to pour, and poured on until 
7 o'clock. The water came in through the roof just 
above my head and shoulders in torrents ; and although 
I had an umbrella up, and two coats over me, I was 
drenched and all my bedding, which, by the bye, con- 
sists of one blanket and a waterproof sheet with some 
grass under it. 

April 17th. — Had a long march. I had to do rear- 
guard, but now that the Zanzibaris go so well, it is not 
nearly so tedious or heart-breaking a business as it 
used to be. The birds all seem to be in bad plumage 
for skinning, as most of the feathers are still in the 
quill, and they make the most horribly bare-looking 
skins. 

April ISth. — Marched to Nkalama. There is a most 
beautiful waterfall just below camp, where the Mpwka 
falls into the Congo. The Congo itself is remarkable 
for the masses of bare, black, horribly forbidding rocks 
which abound on either shore, and crop up here and 
there in reefs all over the river. Shot a warbler, the 
skin of which I saved. I found out that one of the 
ammunition-boxes carried by my company had been 



DIARY. 25 

lost to-day, so I reported the matter to Mr. Stanley after 1887. 
sending back two chiefs all along the road to look for ?," 
it. Mr. Stanley ordered the whole company to fall in, Elver, 
and then made each man take a load from the heap of 
loads brought in. He asked the chief who had received 
the loads in camp to recognize those of the men who 
had brought in theirs. He did not remember seeing 
one unfortunate man, so Mr. Stanley fixed upon him as 
the man who had lost the box, although he is really 
one of my best carriers, and swore he brought in his 
box, and showed Mr. Stanley the tree he cut down to 
keep the boxes off the ground. Mr. Stanley then called 
the Somalis, and gave all my chiefs, with the ex- 
ception of the one who had received the loads in camp, 
fifty cuts each with a stick, whilst they were held down 
on the ground. He then gave to the man, whom he 
accused of having lost the box, a hundred lashes, asking 
him several times during the beating where the box was, 
— the man each time still swearing that his box was in 
camp. He then chained and padlocked the chiefs all 
together, and accused me of losing three boxes of ammu- 
nition (which I flatly denied), and told me that in '77 it 
would have been death*, and if it happened again we 
must part. If this sort of thing is to go on, and he 
speaks to me again as he did to-day before the men, I 
should not be sorry if we did part, for I certainly will not 
keep my temper again. Afterwards I went to his tent, 
and asked him to explain his statement that I had lost 
three boxes of ammunition ; and this he utterly failed 
to do. He said, " You have three times reported to me 
boxes lost." I then told him that the last time was 
only two days ago, when Dr. Parke and I had explained 
the matter to him, and Parke had handed over to me 
the box missing from my loads ; and the only other 
time I had reported a load lost, I had also reported to 
him its recovery. If he goes on much more like this, I 
shall get sick of the whole thing. He has failed to 

* 1877 was the date of Mr. Stanley's return journey 'Through the 
Dark Continent.' — Ed. 



26 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN, 

1887. find out the man who lost the box, and has degraded 
^^^ • three of my chiefs, who were simply the best men I have 

Congo •' ^ 11, IT 

Eiver. Gver Seen, iney are to carry loads to-morrow, and i 
don't know how to fill their places. I heard from 
Stairs to-day that at present the Stanley is the only 
steamer ready to take us up the Congo from the 
Pool. The English Mission has refused the use of its 
steamer, and the American Mission is awaiting in- 
structions. This is the magnificent fleet of steamers 
placed at Mr. Stanley's disposal for ninety days by the 
King of the Belgians ! ! 

April IWi. — This morning Mr. Stanley succeeded in 
breaking up my company, I think for good. He made 
my chiefs, all chained together as they were, carry loads 
of ammunition, and made new chiefs, picking out two 
of the worst men amongst them. We marched on to 
the Luila River, and having crossed it, camped just 
above it. 

April 20th. — Marched to Makoko's village. Here, 
thank Heaven, Tippu-Tib interceded on behalf of my 
chiefs with Mr. Stanley, and he ordered them to be 
unchained. I at once gave them back their rifles, and 
made chiefs of them again. Old Makoko, the chief 
here, is an extraordinary-looking object, possessing what 
the Americans call a chin- whisker, which he has divided 
into two, making each division into a ringlet. His old 
visage is wrinkled and of a perfect chocolate hue. 
Parke is very seedy with dysentery. 

Aj)ril 21st. — Arrived at Leopoldville, which is a 
pretty spot, looking right up the Pool, the views of 
which are rather too peaceful from this end to please 
me, and not what I had expected. 

April 22nd. — Very busy until midday making out 
returns of men, rifles, hoes, axes, spades, billhooks, 
loads, &c. for Mr. Stanley. Then Major Barttelot 
came and told me I could start off at once and try and 
kill some hippos, for there were no more rations in 



DIARY, 27 

camp for the men. I got my things together as quickly 1887. 
as possible, and of course, in my excitement and eager- ^^^ 
ness, forgot the two most important things — food and a viUe. 
mosquito curtain ! Such small details as these were 
quite secondary as compared to hippopotami. I trusted 
to getting some biscuits and tinned stuff at the Dutch 
trading-house, higher up the Pool, where I had to call 
for my big rifle ; but, on arriving there, found neither 
rifle nor edibles, but a most acceptable drink of very 
excellent cognac. I was in a fine big canoe with ten 
Bangalas to paddle me, and camped some distance 
above Kinshassa on the river-bank. Never did 1 spend 
a more miserable night. My boy had forgotten my 
waterproof; the rain came down in torrents ; and I was 
wet through before retiring to bed in my tent, and 
passed the whole night in this soaking condition. 
Sleep I could not, for the mosquitoes were in thousands; 
and next morning I was a perfect wreck. 

April ^Dvd. — I started at daybreak; and although I 
shot two hippos, I only succeeded in getting one of 
them, as the Bangala, whom I left to watch the first one 
rise, went sound asleep, and let it float down the Congo. 
I returned in triumph, however, with the meat to 
camp. The Bangalas are the greatest savages I ever 
came across, and about the most difficult to manage. 
They simply do nothing except when it suits their 
fancy, although they are splendid men when they do 
work. On returning to Leopoldville, I heard of great 
rows going on about the steamers. It appears that, 
after all, the missionaries had refused to lend the Henry 
Beed, as one of them (the engineer) was going down 
to the coast to be married. (This steamer, with the 
Peace and the Stanley^ are the only three available to 
lake us up the river.) They had taken away some 
parts of the machinery to render her useless, so 
Mr. Stanley sent down a guard of Soudanese under 
Major Barttelot to the Mission House, with orders that 
if the pieces were not given up, the house was to be 
searched, and a second guard under Jephson to take 



28 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN, 

A^rii^23 c^^^g^ ^^ ^^^ steamer. Then the chief of the station, 
Stanley* ^^' Liebrichts, said that Mr. Stanley was wrong in 
Pool. acting as he had, but that he could make it all right, 
as the State has the power of taking the Mission 
steamers whenever they are required; so he removed 
the Soudanese, replacing them by his own guards. The 
missionary who was going to be married, said he had 
considered the whole matter over with God, as Mr. 
Stanley says, " even to the third watch," and that he 
could not lend her. 

April 24ith. — This morning I hear the matter about 
the steamer is satisfactorily arranged ; and Mr. Walker 
goes as engineer, the steamer being lent under protest, 
although very wxll paid for. Meat is so badly wanted 
that I am off again up the Pool to shoot more hippos. 
This time, however, I am not going without food or a 
mosquito curtain. Mr. Liebrichts is sending one of the 
officers of the State also, as he wants meat for the men 
of the station. Mr. Stanley has the mails intercepted 
before reaching Leopoldville, so that the missionaries 
cannot receive unfavourable advice about lending their 
steamers. 

April 2bth. — The Free State officer started this 
morning in the large canoe, leaving me the small one, 
out of Avhich it was simply impossible to shoot. His pro- 
position was that, when we saw hippos, one of us should 
go to the other side of them, that they might be driven 
from one canoe to the other. I did not quite see this, 
as the river is narrow between the islands, and I 
thought of the bullets that would be flying about when 
one rose between us ; so shortly after starting I took a 
line of my own, and soon shot one, more by good luck 
than good guidance, as the moment I raised the rifle to 
fire, over went the canoe on one side. I unfortunately 
lost this hippo, as I shot it in a rapid current between 
two islands, and it was carried down before rising. I 
had a tiresome wait on a sandbank in a scorching sun 
for four hours ; but no hippo came up. I shot another 
later, and it did not rise before dark ; so we lost it also. 



DIARY. 29 

April 26th. — Got up with a distinct touch of fever, a^^?9c 
and very shaky ; but as I saw some hippos not far off, Stanley 
and succeeded in making some natives lend me a big Pool, 
canoe for the promise of meat, I started off after them, 
and with the very first shot killed a large cow stone 
dead — she just opened her jaws and sank. I then 
struck another, which came up, but I had shot it too 
far forward, and so it could not keep under water. 
This one gave me a lot of trouble, charging the canoe 
over and over again ; and although I stopped it each 
time with a bullet in the head, it was not until the fifth 
time that I killed it. The way that the Bangalas 
shouted, and darted round and round him in the canoe, 
was great fun. Went on shore to wait for the hippos 
to rise ; and while the natives were cutting them up I 
began a letter home. 

Extract from a letter to Mrs. Jameson, dated April 
2Qth : — " On a sandbank in the middle of iStaiiley Pool, 

cutting up a hippopotamus just killed This is 

the first chance of writing to you I have had since 
leaving Banana. It is a cloudy day and cool, so I am 
writing whilst waiting for a canoe from Leopoldville to 
take away the meat. I had rather a sharp touch of 
fever this morning at daybreak, the first I have had, 
although everyone else has been ill. Stanley has had a 
bad attack of dysentery, Parke is very ill with it, and 
Jephson, Stairs, and Nelson have all had fever, while 
Barttelot has had nothing but bad headaches, and your 
husband has been in splendid health ! There was little 
or no food for our 700 or 800 men at Leopoldville, so 
they have sent me to kill meat for them. I have shot 
a lot of hippos, and would have shot a number more if 
I had had my big rifle. I got it forwarded from Ango- 
Ango by the Dutch House, as Stanley would not give 
me carriers for it. I am shooting with an express 
of Barttelot's, which, although a good gun, is no 
weapon for hippopotami. The march from Matadi was 
one of the most disgusting pieces of work I have ever 
had to do, until the latter part, when the men marched 



30 STORY OF THE HEAR COLUMN. 

A^rf/26 ^^^^^^- ^ ^^^ ^^ slave-drivers of the old days would 
Stanley ^^^^ dono it mucli better, for that — slave-driving — is 
Pool. what it often resolved itself into. (There is a big hippo 
in the middle of the river looking at me, but I will not 
try to shoot him as I have not canoes enough to carry 
the meat.) I have no letters from you later than the 
one dated February 3rd ; the Portuguese mail having 
broken down, we are without any news, and it is 
awfully disheartening. The sport and natural-history 
part of this Expedition is a regular farce, and I can 
see very little hope of its being any better later on. 
This is very tiring work to be at so long, sleeping in a 
swamp at night, and, after shooting a hippo, remaining 
for three or four hours on a sandbank in a blazing sun, 
until he rises to the surface, and two hours more, while 
the superbly lazy, though savage, natives cut it up. I 
have never been in a country Avhere I believe there is 
more to be collected. The birds and insects are lovely, 
but with the work one has to do it is impossible to get 
anything. All my lovely dreams have been very roughly 
knocked on the head. I will give you a specimen of a 
day's work on the march. Barttelot and I started one 
day as rear-guard a little after 6 a.m., and did not reach 
camp until after 6 p.m., with not a quarter of an hour's 
rest all day. Nothing but beating niggers with a stick, 
and lifting their loads on to their heads, and day after 
day the same disgusting work. It must take a great 
deal of glory to make up for it all. I am keeping a 
diary for you 

" Wednesday/, 27th. — Still on this sandbank; the canoes 
have not arrived. When I finished writing yesterday, I 
went and lay for over an hour in the sun to try and get 
that big hippo that I told you was looking at me. At 
last he got up on a bank, and I shot him through the 
heart, although it was a very long shot. It brought on 
the fever twice as bad, and I had a very bad time of it 
all yesterday and last night. ... It seems years since 
I left home, and the want of all news from, you makes 
it seem much longer. I am very shaky this morning, 
so I will lie down for a little. . . . 



EXTRACT FROM LETTER. 31 

" 8 P.M. The Camp, Leopoldville. — I arrived here }^'cyj 
safely a few hours ago ; the canoes turned up at noon, ^eopoid^ 
The fever has quite left me. ... A moment ago a viUe. 
perfect tornado of thunder, lightning, rain, and wind 
came on, and I had to jump up and make the tent 
right. Thank Heaven, I am not on that sandbank! 
The natives here seem very much like those of the 
Mashona country. They have the same kind of 
' pianos ' *, and there is a great similarity of language, 
but they are not nearly so far advanced in agriculture. 
The Bangalas who were with me in the canoe came 
from higher up the river, and are the people whom 
Stanley fought. They have never forgiven him for 
killing the brother of their chief. They are cannibals, 
and file all their teeth into points. They told me that 
one of their chiefs, who was very rich, is now quite 
poor from buying nice, fat, young women to eat ; this I 
know to be a fact. The price of one is from three to 
four hundred kantakas (short brass rods, which are the 
money of the country). They eat all those whom they 
kill in battle. They remove the inside, stuff them with 
bananas, and roast them whole over a big fire. I can 
believe anything of them from the little I have had to 
do with them. The Pool is full of lovely birds, many 
of which I know to be very rare. We have all had one 
or two rather disagreeable moments with Mr. Stanley, 
but I think they are over for the present. I cannot 
help admiring him immensely for his great strength of 
will and power of overcoming difficulties ; but there are 
some points in his character which I cannot admire. 
I will give you an instance. One day, whilst talking to 
Dr. Parke, he told him that he had heard that two of 
the boxes of provisions had been opened by the white 
men — meaning the officers. Dr. Parke asked him who 
told him. He replied, some of his Zanzibaris. Parke 
then told him that the only two cases opened were 
opened to get out arrowroot and milk for himself 
(Stanley), when he had dysentery, and that he could not 
understand his listening to tales about the officers from 

* See sketch on page 106. — Ed. 



32 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

Aprim. ^^^ niggers. He had a row with Stairs in exactly the 
Leopold- same way. Stairs' donkey broke its leg *, and he had 
viiie. to shoot it. I saw the broken leg myself. When he 
reported the matter, Mr. Stanley informed him that he 
had been told that the leg was not broken, and that he 
shot it in a rage ; and when asked who had told him, 
said, " Some of Tippu-Tib's people." Stairs then gave 
him a real good piece of his mind on the subject. It 
is impossible for any one calling himself a gentleman, 
and an officer, to stand this sort of thing. The fact is, 
this is the first time Stanley has ever had gentlemen to 
deal with on an expedition of this sort." 

DIAET {continued), 

April 21th. — ^Ai'rived at camp about 5 o'clock. The 
meat had nearly all gone bad, and the voyage down the 
Pool, in a hot sun, with the stinking meat, was anything 
but pleasant in the condition I was in. I was greatly 
amused with the Bangalas' method of buying fish from 
the natives. I landed one day on a sandbank to wait 
for a hippo to rise, and I noticed all the Bangalas 
going off to the shore, where there were three native 
canoes full of fish. I asked my boy where they were 
going. He replied, "To buy fish." The Bangalas 
suddenly made a rush at the canoes, upset the natives 
from out of them, beat them with their paddles, and 
returned loaded with cooking-pots, young crocodile 
ready cut up, fish, native bread, and water-bottles made 
of gourds. I saw some very fine darters, larger than 
any I saw in South Africa. Shot a spur-winged plover, 
with beautiful bright orange wattles and pale lemon- 
green coloured legs. 

April 2Sth. — Marched to Kinshassa. Dined with 
Mr. Greshoff, who gave us the best of everything. 

April 29th. — I saw the natives bringing in a num- 
ber of fish exactly like our barbel — scales, beard, 

* See Diary, April 8tli. 



April 29 
Kinshassa 



DIARY. 33 

mouth, tail, and everything. After dinner Mr. Gres- ^J^^?/- 
hofF showed us a beautiful chart of the Kwanga E,iver, 
which led to Mr. Stanley producing Dr. Junker's map 
(his original one), which he has kindly lent him, also a 
skeleton map of the country between Stanley Falls and 
Wadelai, ready to fill in all the unknown country. We 
had a long conversation about natives, geography, &c., 
and I spent quite one of the pleasantest evenings since 
I started. Mr. Stanley, when he throws off his reserve, 
is one of the most agreeable of men and full of infor- 
mation. 

April oQth. — Two hundred men went off under Nelson 
and Stans to try and get the Florida into the water, as 
the slips, on which she was, had broken down when 
they tried to launch her. Mr. Greshoff very kindly 
filled my large silver flask with spirits of wine for 
beetles*. This will be invaluable to me for collecting 
on the march. In about three hours' time the men 
returned, having successfully launched the Florida, 
About 3 o'clock the Stanley and Henry Reed came 
round irom Kinshassa, followed by the Peace from 
Leopoldville, and by our iron boat, which has been 
christened the Advance. Before dark we had them all 
loaded, and ready for the men and donkeys to be put 
on board in the morning. Just as we were finishing. 
Ward and Troup turned up in a canoe from Leopold- 
ville. Mr. Stanley has decided to take Ward with 
him; he was originally in the employ of the State, 
later on in the Sanford Expedition, and has now joined 
Mr. Stanley. Mr. Troup was formerly in the Free 
State service. 

* This flask (coDtaining beetles), with the bulk of Jameson's coUeo- 
tion, never reached England. — Ed. 



34 



STOBT OF THE REAB COW UN. 




CHAPTER m. 



May 1st to June 7th. 

Start up the Upper Congo. — Scenery on the Pool. — Spiders' wets.— Mswata. 
— Bula Matadi. — Man proposes, and God disposes. — Bolobo. — Buffalo 
hunt. — Jameson is informed that he is to be left at Yambuya. — Looting. 
— Lukulela. — Scenes with Stanley. — Equator Station. — ^Dine with Mr. 
Glave. — Uranga. — Bangala. — Houssas eaten by natives. — Fever. — 
Upoto. — Stanley's distrust of his officers. 



1887. 
May 1. 

Upper 
Congo. 



Sunday^ May 1st. — At last we have made our final 
start up the Upper Congo, and on a lucky day. The 
Henry Reed went first with Tippu-Tib, all his people, and 
Bonny and Walker on board, towing two whale-boats 
full of men. We came next in the Stanley, towing the 
Florida. Towing is not the right word, as both the 
Henry Beed and the Stanley are stern paddle-wheel 
steamers ; they have to make both boats fast alongside. 
Stairs, Nelson, Jephson and myself, the Captain, engi- 
neer, and 168 men, with three donkeys, made up our 
number. Next came the Peace with Mr. Stanley, his 
servant William, and Ward on board. We steamed on 
to Kimpoko, where the American Mission is (Bishop 
Taylor s). We landed all the men to cut wood for the 



BIART, 35 

steamer, and finished by moonlight. My head has been ^^^'^• 
very bad ever since that dose of fever, and, although stTniex 
desperately hungry, I cannot enjoy food. I saw two Pool, 
beautiful large black-backed terns on the Pool, the only 
ones I have ever seen; but I did not get a shot at 
them. The scenery on the Pool is completely spoilt by 
the numbers of low sandy islands, covered with long 
rank grass, upon which the hippos feast, and where I 
found large colonies of pigeons and numbers of small 
herons. 

May 2nd. — Mr. Walker and Bonny turned up while 
we were at dinner, and complained bitterly of the man- 
ners and customs of Tippu-Tib and his people on the 
Henry Reed, their ways not being European ways. 

The upper end of the Pool is much finer than the 
lower; the hills are higher, and the vegetation more 
luxuriant. Perhaps for the first time you realize what 
a splendid river the Congo is, as you see it in one grand r 
unbroken stream, not inclosed by rocks as below, but , , 
flowing between beautifully wooded hills, their sides i / 
covered with tropical forests right down to the water's j I 
edge, and their tops with bright green grass, and small ' 
clumps of trees dotted here and there. At the end of 
the Pool are some sandstone cliff's, which, with the 
morning sun upon them, look exactly like the cliffs of 
Dover, and are named after them. 

May Srd. — Passed a very large crocodile, numbers 
of large geese, and several white eagles with brown 
wings and tail. Saw a nightjar, apparently larger than 
the Mosambicus, but same colouring, and plenty of 
elephant-tracks for the first time. We stayed just 
below the Black Piver for the night. We could see 
large and small fish rising at insects all day ; I feel 
sure they would take the fiy. It is very disappointing 
for a sportsman to pass through a country that looks as 
if it ought to abound with game, and then see nothing 
but a few old elephant-tracks and crocodiles. 

May 4:th. — At some places to-day I should say the 

d2 



36 



STOEY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 



1887. 
May 4. 

Congo 
River. 



river was quite a mile and a half wide. The hills are 
much lower, and on the right-hand bank the forest 
grows only along the water's edge. The landscape is 
altogether much tamer. Saw a beautiful pure white 
heron (about the size of our common English one), 
many spur-winged plover, hornbills, and geese. There 




DiAGKAijf OF Spiders' Webs. 



is almost a total absence of swifts and swallows, which 
is curious, as the Lower Congo abounded with different 
kinds. Saw a few guinea-fowl, of the common species, 
and not the crested variety I expected to see. Ele- 
phant-tracks again abounded in the forest, which is 
full of giant creepers. In it I noticed a curious colony 
of spiders. There were four trees at equal distances, 
forming a square, and near to the top of each a spider 
had attached one corner of his web, so that it hung 
from the four corners just like a blanket. About a foot 
below this one was another exactly similar, and again 
a third below it, and so on to within a few feet of the 



DIARY. 37 

orround. There were at least six or eieht webs. Each }}^'^- 
spider took up his station at the centre point of his ^^^^^^ 
web, which was a thicker part than the rest, and cup- River. 
shaped. Between these suspended webs were others 
upright, connecting them, so as to catch anything flying 
between. Enormous quantities of ants, of every size 
and description, swarmed in the forest, and made it 
anything but a pleasure to walk therein. In the night 
the men started off to some manioc plantations a long 
way from the steamer, and returned loaded with roots ; 
and the noise with which the others in camp greeted 
them was enough to waken the dead. For nearly the 
whole of the night they did nothing but shout, cook, 
and eat. 

May bth. — Eeached Mswata at 9.30 a.m., where we 
found Barttelot and Parke flourishing. Their tent was 
pitched right in the centre of the main street of the 
town, if it may so be called, and amidst (quantities of 
bananas. The old chief was most friendly and anxious 
to see " Bula Matadi," as all the natives call Mr. 
Stanley. The meaning of the name is " Stone-breaker," 
and it was given him whilst at Vivi. One of the 
Zanzibaris was trying to break a large rock, and striking 
it in the wrong direction. Stanley noticed the lay of 
the cleavage and took the hammer, sending the stone 
flying in pieces with one blow. This so astonished the 




natives that they at once called him Bula Matadi, 
and he is universally known all over the country by 
this name and no other. Mswata in Stanley's time was 
one of the Congo State stations, but, like many others, 
has been abandoned. The chief has the same mark of 



38 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

}^^'^'q distinction as old Makoko, namely a chin-whisker, 
Mswata divided into two curls. They divide their hair into two 
long tails, one on each side of Hi^ forehead, bending 
outwards, exactly in the shape of bufialo horns, and 
sometimes have one in the middle also. The number 
of these horns is evidently a sign of the degree of rank 
of the wearer, the greatest swells having the largest 
number. I went for a stroll through a lovely forest, 
full of small streams, at the back of the town, and got 
a glorious lot of new butterflies. This is the first place 
where I have noticed a decided change in the butterflies 
from those of the Lower Congo, some of them being 
very beautiful. Barttelot and Parke are to march to 
Kwamouth. They dined with us, and we spent a very 
pleasant evening. Mr. Stanley sent for Stairs after 
dinner, and told him we were to go on straight to 
Bolobo with as little delay as possible, and there to ask 
the chiefs leave to land our men for a few days, as the 
last time Stanley was there he was fired upon, and 
they had to burn down the town. Whilst it was a Free 
State station and Mr. Liebrichts was in command, they 
had no palavers, and burnt the town both times ; so no 
wonder the natives don't like the white man. Mr. Stanley 
says, if they refuse to let us land, we must occupy one 
of the islands opposite to the town, and await his 
arrival. He thinks it is about even chances that we 
have a row. 

Ma^ 6?^/?.— Never came a saying more true than did 
the old one to-day, " Man proposes, and God disposes." 
We were hours ahead of both the other steamers, 
boasting by how far we should beat the Peace up to the 
Falls, if we were allowed to go ahead, all sitting in 
the top deck-house with the Captain, when there came 
a violent bump, then another, and another, and we 
were stuck fast on the top of a rock, with the water 
pouring into three compartments, through about ^ye 
holes in our bottom, and we three or four hundred 
yards well out in the river! Luckily the Zanzibaris 
behaved splendidly, sitting perfectly still and doing as 



DIART. .39 

they were told. With the aid of buckets we could just ^^^i^ 
keep the water from gaining, but could not get it q^^ ^ 
down. Upon sounding, we found ourselves on the top River. 
of a large flat rock, with not more than three feet of 
water on any part of it. Luckily the Florida^ which was 
fastened alongside with 168 men on board, numerous 
loads and donkeys, was drawing so little water that she 
did not touch. The holes were all in the afterpart of 
the forward compartments ; and, as she is built in nine 
water-tight compartments, as long as we could keep the 
water from gaining and the steamer from bumping, we 
were safe. We shifted the whole of the cargo into the 
stern, and dropped two anchors. Just then a thunder- 
storm came up, with a strong breeze ; she at once swung 
round, and we started the engine full speed astern; 
with one more bump we swung clear right into the 
deep water, breaking one anchor, and leaving the other 
with a lump of chain on the rock. Then we went full 
speed ahead up-stream, and baled away with the 
buckets, as our lives depended upon it. We ran both 
boats on to a sandy beach on the mainland, half a mile 
above the scene of our disaster. That puif of wind just 
came in time, and saved us. Had we sunk, probably the 
Florida would have been wrecked too. In any case 
most of the ammunition, and all the European provisions 
and stuif to buy food, would have been lost in the 
Stanley. I thanked God, not once but a good many 
times, that we got out of it as well as we did. The 
view passing Kwamouth is very pretty. The Kwa, 
which is really only the mouth of the Kassai River 
(which runs into it), is the largest tributary of the 
Congo, being navigable for over 400 miles. 

May 7th. — Up at daylight, but very sleepy. The 
Henry Feed appeared in the mirage, down river, about 
8.30 A.M., so we sent our pilot off in a canoe, to warn 
them about the rock, as they were steering straight for 
it. Much later we saw the Feace going along close in 
to the opposite shore ; we signalled, and the Henry 
Feed whistled, and they came across to us. Mr. Stanley, 



40 



STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 



1887. 
May 7. 

Congo 
River. 



of course, was rather annoyed at our disaster, and told 
the Captain he had no business to come over to this side 
of the river, but he replied that this side was the course 
marked on his chart, and explained to him by Captain 
Anderson, the late commander of the Stanley^ and that 
the missionaries also used the same course. Mr. Stanley 
then took in hand the directions for patching up the 
steamer, and the Captain and the three engineers carried 
them out. We first of all removed all the cargo, and 
SAvung her round side on to the beach, then dug a trench 
with hoes right under her to the largest of the holes. A 
plate was passed through the water on to the outside and 
scroAved on by bolts. Little hopes of starting to-morrow. 
Mr. Stanley said to-day that every day of delay cost 
the Expedition £25 in wages to the men alone. 





■^mm^-' 



KWAMOUTH. 



^^^^^^^^^s«3#w« 



May Sth. — Mr. Stanley, the Captain, and engineers 
worked away until about 8 o'clock at the leaks with a 
good deal of success. 

May 9th. — Loading up the Stanley ready for a start 
in the morning. Mr. Stanley and the engineers finished 



DIABY, 41 

putting the plates on by 11 o'clock ; the former left for ^^^7. 
Bolobo at 12.30. Zl 

May l^tJi. — To-day the scenery became very beau- 
tiful. The river widened to about four miles, and was 
dotted all over with small islands cohered with tropical 
foliage. At the back of every sandbank or island, in 
the still water, the heads of the hippopotami could be 
seen moving up and down, or their long backs just 
above the water resting on the banks. Numbers of 
geese were wading on the shores, while large black 
and white eagles soared from island to island, and ever 
and again gorgeous bee-eaters and kingfishers darted 
out of the forest, the bee-eaters hawking away, then 
tumbling over and floating away to another tree, their 
colours glittering in the sun. The kingfishers would 
dart out, hover for a moment over the water, then ap- 
parently dive into it, to return to their perch, and sit 
pensively gazing down at the river below them. Large 
cranes stood solemnly on the banks, absorbed in the 
contemplation of some deep and momentous subject. 
Then a heavy thunderstorm passed over us, in the midst 
of which the far shore stood out in bright sunlight, 
with a background of exquisite mountains and valleys, 
and one longed for the skill of an artist to give to the 
people at home an idea of this magnificent river. The 
villages of brown huts, embedded in the gorgeous green 
of the plantains, with giant trees towering all around 
them, the canoes lying on the sandy beach, with the 
fishing-nets hung out to dry, here and there a native 
with spear in hand — all these scenes furnished splendid 
subjects for the artist — who is not with us ! 

May Wth. — Arrived at Bolobo, which is prettily 
situated, looking over one of the broadest parts of the 
river. Found fresh bufialo-tracks to-day, and for the 
first time saw the crested guinea-fowl which I expected 
to meet. The natives here paint themselves in an ex- 
traordinary fashion, some having a black band across 
the forehead with white lines drawn over and under 
the eyes. Others have long white lines running down 



42 STOET OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

mI^^iI ^^^ shoulders and arms, and the same down the forehead 

Boiobo. ^^^ nose. Some of the lines are blue and yellow for a 

variety. The knives and axes are very fine, but they 

will not part with them. Their spears resemble the 

Mashona spears. Their guns are old fiint-muskets. 

Maj/ 12fh. — The Henry Reed arrived with the Peace 
in tow. Mr. Stanley came to the officers' tent in the 
afternoon, and had a long chat with us. He is going 
to reorganize all the companies, and only take on the 
best men, leaving the bad ones here with Major 
Barttelot to come on when the Stanley returns down 
the river. Had to go off very early to cut wood for the 
Stanley. 

May V^th. — We are are all going to be put on short 
rations now ; \ ounce of tea a day for each man, and 
everything else in proportion. Major Barttelot is to 
come on to the entrenched camp after all, and Ward is 
to be left here. I feel very sorry for him, as up to the 
very last moment he thought he was going on. Mr. 
Bonny is also being left here. Good news ! Mr. Stanley 
has given me leave to start at daybreak to-morrow for a 
buffalo hunt, and get meat for the men. 

May lith. — After about three and a half hours' walk- 
ing, I came upon one of the most lovely valleys for game 
I think I have ever seen or dreamt of, and in any other 
country but this it would simply swarm. A few clumps 
of trees grew here and there close to some pools of 
water, the rest of the valley being covered with luxuriant 
grass, amongst which shone out patches of tender green, 
where it had once been burnt. After walking about a 
mile up along the pools, I came across the tracks of a 
bull buffalo, two cows and a calf, which had evidently 
passed just before I arrived on the scene. I tracked 
them until after 1 o'clock into the middle of a dense 
forest, so thick that I had to leave my helmet and go 
down on my hands and knees, and crawl nearly every 
yard of the road. I heard them break once quite close 
to me, but could not see them. Finally I gave it up, 



DIARY. 43 

and tried the rest of the valley without finding a single 1887. 
fresh track. I broke one of my big-toe nails, right -^^ J^ 
across the very centre, against a stump in the beastly 
vs^ood, and had to walk the six or seven miles back to 
camp in anything but a nice frame of mind. I was 
greatly surprised to find the Stanley had just arrived 
with Barttelot and Parke, for we did not expect them 
until to-morrow. Mr. Stanley has rearranged all the 
companies, and mine is entirely broken up ; he has 
taken a lot of the best men from nearly every company 
to make up his own to its full strength. Mine was 
used to fill up the others, so at present I am without 
one. We all start to-morrow\ 

May Ibth, — Alas for all my bright dreams about the 
march from the Falls to Wadelai. To-day Mr. Stanley 
informed me that I was to be left with Major Barttelot 
in command of the entrenched camp on the Aruwimi. 
Of course he tried to soften the matter as much as he 
possibly could, by telling me that as most of the ammu- 
nition and stores were being left here, he required two 
of the best men to remain and guard them, for if any- 
thing happened to them the whole Expedition would be 
at an end. He also told me that the men who went on 
must not think that they would have the larger share 
of honour ; but whatever he may say about it, it makes 
me mad to think of it. When he told me, I merely 
replied " Very well. Sir," as I knew that somebody must 
be left. I am quite sure that Major Barttelot had 
already asked him to leave me with him as his lieu- 
tenant, his chief reason being that he was afraid he 
would not pull so well with some of the other officers. 
It is frightfully hard luck on me. Mr. Stanley told me 
to get a canoe, and find out as much as I possibly could 
about the river. The natives are a bad lot, and I 
believe we will have to fight for food for the men by 
looting villages. The bright side of the whole thing is 
the splendid opportunity it gives me of collecting in a 
country never collected in before, and altogether, as far 
as I can make out, we shall have rather an exciting time 
of it. 



May 15. 
Bolobo. 



44 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

1887 j^ [^Ewtract fro7n letter to his wife., June ^th, 1887 : — 
" He (Stanley) also told me that those, who went on first 
" to the Albert Nyanza Lake, must not think that they 
" had one atom more honour attached to what they did, 
" as he himself would be the only one to meet Emin 
" Pasha in his steamers on the Lake ; the others would 
" be left in a camp on its shores."] 

The Peace started first this morning, then the Henry 
Eeed, and lastly ourselves in the Stanley. We made 
fast to the shore at a village about twelve miles above 
Bolobo, and when Stairs and Nelson landed with the 
axe-men, it seems the natives did not want to let them 
go through the village. Some of the men ran back 
yelling out that the natives were coming, and to bring 
all the guns. Barttelot thought they were being at- 
tacked, so he landed all the Soudanese and a box of 
ammunition, but on getting up into the village not a 
native was to be seen ; they had all run away. When 
the Soudanese returned to the shore, they made a rush 
across a small stream to the village on the opposite 
side, followed by the Zanzibaris, when an awful scene 
of loot commenced. They seized goats, fowls, bananas, 
manioc, spears, and everything that they could lay 
their hands on. I saw one man with an enormous 
wooden stool which he could not possibly have taken 
with him on the steamer, and I caught a Somali red- 
handed vrith an immense bundle of manioc and a spear; 
I smote him rather hard and he dropped the lot. The 
spear I attached to my person. The river to-day 
widened out very much, being dotted over with small 
and large islands. I am trying hard to look at the 
bright side of my being left at the entrenched camp — 
the collecting, sketching and fighting — but I cannot get 
over a thorough feeling of disappointment. 

May l^th. — Just as we were leaving the natives began 
to return, and were in a fearful rage when they missed 
their things, though some of them were willing to trade, 
and we got a few fish and bananas from them. 











Fisherman's Hut. [Page 47. ] 



DIART. 47 

May 11th. — Very seedy. Last night I had to stand ^/^®^j« 

over half an hour in water above my ankles waiting for coneo' 

the wood-carriers, who could not find us in the dark, River, 
the consequence of which is a bad internal chill. 

May ISth. — Too seedy to do anything. This evening 
we made fast to the shore at a little fisherman's hut, 
which had a regular palisade and gateway between it 
and the river. Our only hope of w^od was a large dead 
tree which stood inside the palisade. 

May 19th. — Still seedy. Reached Lukulela, after 
steaming for twelve hours. We saw two small elephants 
within 150 yards of the steamer in the long grass. 
Stairs and Barttelot landed and tried to get a shot, but 
the noise from the steamer had sent them away at a 
quick march. They saw any quantity of fresh tracks 
of both elephant and bufi'alo. It is great fun to see the 
Stanley start in the morning ; before they can get her 
head well up-stream, she waltzes round and round two 
or three times, sticking her stern and bows alternately 
into the bushes, exactly like a toy boat in a stream. 
The Doctor came on board to-night and saw me. Thank 
goodness, I am much better. 

May '20th. — This morning, I am sorry to say 
that the most disgraceful row I have ever heard of 
happened between Mr. Stanley and Jephson and Stairs. 
It appears that early this morning a number of the men 
and chiefs went to Mr. Stanley, and complained that the 
officers had flung away their rations for one day. Mr. 
Stanley sent for Stairs. The men swore they had bought 
the food from the natives last Sunday at the village they 
looted (for description of how they bought it, see diary 
of that day, May 15th). Stairs told Mr. Stanley this, 
assuring him that only stolen stufl' was taken away from 
them, and sent for Jephson, who gave the same testimony. 
It is still quite evident that Mr. Stanley takes the word of 
the Zanzibaris on every occasion before that of the white 
men, and when he saw that he had hold of rather the 
wrong end of this stick, he attacked them about their 



48 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

Ma^^^b tyranny to the men. He attacked them in a frantic 

Lukuieia. State, Stamping up and down the deck of the Feace. 

He called Jephson all sorts of names, a " G — d d — n son 

" of a sea-cook," " You d d ass, you're tired of me, of 

" the Expedition, and of my men. Go into the bush, get, 
" I've done with you. And you too. Lieutenant Stairs, 
" you and I will part to-day ; you're tired of me. Sir, I can 
" see. Get ; away into the bush." Then he turned round 
to the men (about 150) sitting down, and spoke Swahili 
to the effect that the men were to obey us no more, and 
that if Lieutenant Stairs or Jephson issued any orders to 
them, or dared to lift a hand, they were to tie them up 
to trees. He had already told Stairs that he had only 
to lift his hand for the men to throw him into the sea. 
He lastly offered to fight Jephson, " If you want to fight, 
" G — d d — n you, I'll give you a bellyful. If I were 
'' only where you are, I'd go for you. It's lucky for you 
" I'm where I am." Mr. Stanley was on the deck of the 
Peace^ Jephson on shore. All this was said before the 
missionaries, Tippu-Tib, and every one. As for Stairs 
or Jephson being tired of the Expedition, no men could 
work harder or have their hearts more in it. I should 
think a repetition of this kind of thing would make them 
both pretty sick of Mr. Stanley and the Expedition He 
also called Jephson, " G — d d — d impudent puppy." 
Barttelot next interviewed him, and he told him that he 
was very sorry for Stairs, but had made up his mind 
they should stay where they were — that there was evi- 
dently a compact among us against him. Barttelot 
assured him that there was nothing of the kind. Stairs 
next went to him, and after a long interview it ended 
in Mr. Stanley taking him back, and telling him that he 
had given orders to the chiefs to obey him as before. 
Imagine this being necessary, simply from what he had 
himself said to them! Jephson went last, and the 
interview ended by Mr. Stanley apologizing for the 
language he had used, and taking him back also. I had 
no idea until to-day what an extremely dangerous man 
Stanley was. Could there be anything more inciting 
to mutiny than what he had told the Zanzibar! s 1 He for- 



DIARY. 49 

gets one thing, however, that if they dared to lift a hand -^l^^l\ 
to one of us there would be a terrible lot of them shot, q^^" 
which would rather weaken his Expedition. It is a River, 
curious fact, when one thinks over it, that the very 
men who complained to Mr. Stanley ought, by his own 
orders, issued when we left the Pool, to have been 
severely flogged. Such is life ! Thank goodness, I am 
beginning to feel myself again. On his way back from 
Mr. Stanley, Jephson brought me an enormous spider, 
quite the biggest I have ever seen, although rather 
mutilated. One of the men brought me a splendid 
crested lory ; I skinned it, but am puzzled how to 
carry it because of its size, which is about that of a 
hornbill. The village here stands amidst beautiful 
timber, and the huts shine out like gold in the sunset 
against the dark shadows of the forest, making a 
beautiful picture. 

May 21st. — We did not start for a good hour after 
the Peace and Flenry Reed, the engineer said because 
the wood was too wet, and they could not get up steam. 
Mr. Stanley's orders were that all the steamers were to 
keep within sight of each other in case of anything 
going wrong. We came in sight of them early in the 
forenoon ; a little later they stopped because of a storm 
which came on, and we stopped to cut wood, having 
run short. They have now both gone on out of sight ; 
it is 4 P.M., and I should think there must be miles 
between us. The Henry Heed and the Peace took dif- 
ferent routes, and we are staying here for the night. 
This is keeping within sight of one another with a 
vengeance ! 

May 22)id. — Until about 12 o'clock to-day we 
were passing through the most lovely tropical forest 
scenery. Our passage lay through long lanes of water, 
that seemed to be cut like canals through the centre of 
the forest, the right bank being the mainland. Every 
now and again we could catch a glimpse of the great 
river covered with islands. The rainy season has set in 
now, and every afternoon, as regularly as clockwork, at 

E 



Riv^er. 



50 STORY OF TEE REAU COLUMN. 

\i^%2 ^^1'^^ or four o'clock, up comes a storm which lasts 
QQrigo. iintil nightfall. 

May 2Zrd. — Started at 5.30 well ahead of the Henry 
Reed and Peace, which we had caught up yesterday 
evening, but ours was a short-lived glory, for we very 
soon ran short of wood, and at 11 o'clock had to stop 
and cut some. Started again at 2 o'clock, and steamed 
until 6 o'clock. More woodcutting, dinner, and to 
bed. It is beginning to be decidedly monotonous. 

May 24:fh. — We all reached Equator Station shortly 
after 5 o'clock. This is one of the nicest looking stations 
we have yet seen. We have been passing numerous 
native villages very prettily situated on the edge of the 
forest, and of which the huts are now changing in shape 
altogether, and a good many of them are stockaded. 
Some are very long, with angular-shaped roofs, and 
many doors to them. The spears, too, have changed in 
shape ; they are very light in shaft and blade, being 
used for throwing only, whereas those lower down the 
river are heavy-bladed and are used for stabbing. The 
palm-trees here are curiously ragged in appearance, 
owing to the attacks of the w^eaver-birds, who have 
stripped them of almost all their leaves, with which 
they build their nests on other trees. The natives are 
a finer-looking people, resembling the Bangalas I saw 
at the Pool. I was delighted to hear that the Peace 
had to stop and cut wood as well as ourselves, for Mr. 
Stanley had been blaming us for loitering on the road. 

May 2t>th. — Went on shore early with the axemen to 
cut wood. In the afternoon, Mr. Glave, who now 
belongs to the Sanford Expedition*, came on board, and 
asked us all to dine. He was formerly in the service 
of the Free State, but has left it like many more, as rats 
leave a sinking ship. I notice that one of the chief occu- 
pations of the Belgian officers at the different stations is 
to civilize the country by adding to the population 

* The Sanford Expedition was an Ivory Trading Company, called the 
Sanford Exploring Company ; vide ' Darkest Africa,' vol. i. p. 93. — Et>. 



DIARY. 51 

specimens of half-breeds, as they are all more or less ,^^^^; 
married to native women. This mode of civilization -^^l^^^^ 
seems to be adopted by all the white men here, whether station. 
officers of the State or not. I saw some beautiful perch, 
almost exactly like our own. We dined with Mr. 
Glave, and during dinner Captain Van Gele related a 
story about some wonderful river, a tributary of the 
Congo, which he had been exploring, and from which 
he had brought some ivory mallets, used for crushing 
corn or manioc. He produced them, and was greatly 
annoyed when both Dr. Parke and I declared them to 
be hone, and not ivory at all ! This, I am sorry to say, 
damped the conversation. The ivory here is very large 
indeed. Amongst a lot bought by Glave for the San- 
ford Expedition were tusks of 118, 111, 97, 95, and 
90 lbs. Much of it is greatly discoloured through 
having been buried. He only paid 25. 2d. a lb. for the 
118 lb. tusk, which is a fairly Avhite one. 

May 2Qth. — Steamed all day through the usual num- 
ber of wooded islands. Close to where we made fast 
for the night was a small bare sandbank, inhabited by 
a small colony of the most beautiful terns I have ever 
seen. The top of the head, neck, and back are all 
black ; throat, breast, and belly are pure Avhite ; bill and 
legs red. They are, I think, similar to two which I 
observed at Stanley Pool. As I had no small boat, I 
could not get a shot. We had the usual woodcutting 
business in the jungle, became covered as usual with 
the ants, and later on up came the usual thunderstorm. 
Mr. Stanley's orders are that we are not to go ahead of 
the Peace, and the Henry Heed has to obey the same 
orders. Mr. Stanley has ordered Parke to come on with 
us in the Stanley, and Jephson to take his place in the 
IJenrii Heed, because he says there are so many sick on 
the Stanley and Florida. However that may be, it 
seems a mistake putting Jephson on the same steamer 
with Tippu-Tib and his men, as he has already had one 
rather nasty row with Salem, Tippu's brother-in-law. 

May 21th. — After a very short piece of steaming and 

E 2 



52 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN 

s^^'^i going frightfully slowly to keep behind the Peace^ we 
Urania reached Uianga at 10.30 a.m. Mr. Stanley is a "blood- 
brother " of the chief of this place. I try every conceiv- 
able plan to protect my specimens from the ants, but 
though I may succeed for a short time they are sure to 
defeat me at last. I noticed many of the spears here re- 
semble the Mashona ones, having a long piece of iron 
between the blade and the ordinary wooden shaft, which 
latter is bound round by rings of iron ; they also have the 
leaf-shaped blade. I unintentionally swindled an old chief 
out of a goat, but it served him right, as he swindled me 
about a spear which I bought from him with cloth, 
knowing that I was giving too much ; but as I wanted it 
badly I did not wrangle over the price. He then said he 
would make me a present of a goat, which in this country 
means that I had to give him a present in return. I told 
him I did not want it ; but when I came back, late in the 
evening, it had been sent on board. After dinner he 
came and made a great fuss, saying he must have the 
goat or a present. Nelson, who was on deck, turned 
him off. We started just after daybreak, and he tried 
to board us with his canoe, instead of coming for his 
present before we got under way. We left him in the 
middle of the river, evidently using anything but nice 
language. He will be rather chary of giving presents 
again, and we will eat the goat, which seems fat. 

May 2Sth. — A most monotonous day's steaming. I 
am sorry to say I have read nearly all our small store 
of books. 

May 29th. — Islands, river, scenery, natives, canoes, 
&c., just the same as yesterday. The only excitement 
was caused by a troop of large brown monkeys who 
appeared on some trees on the banks, and who seemed 
not to be the least bit frightened at the steamer, but 
went on scratching and hunting as though nothing out 
of the common was near them. Stopped for the night 
on an island opposite Bolombo. 

May 30th. — Numbers of natives in canoes came round 
the steamers, trying to persuade us to stop at Bolombo 



May 30 
Bangala 



DIARY, 53 

and trade for food ; but as Iboko, or Bangala, was only a ^J88 
few hours ahead there was not much chance of that. 
Bolombo is on the south bank, and Iboko on the north 
bank of the river. We arrived at the latter place at 
12.30. Mr. Stanley was saluted from the Station by 
shots from one of the Krupp guns, of which they have 
two. The Houssas and Zanzibaris were drawn up in a 
line, and the excitement on shore was intense to know 
what on earth so many steamers and people had come 
for. They thought it was an Expedition to retake the 
Falls, as they had not heard any news for four months. 
The Station, which is the last, and one of the largest on 
the Congo, consists of three white buildings, constructed 
of mud, plaster, and stick walls, with a thatched roof, 
beneath which is built, I believe, a solid ceiling of 
mud to prevent it falling-in in case of fire. A French- 
man here, by trade a brickmaker, has utilized all the 
different kinds of clay to be found on the shore, with 
which he has constructed regular brick sheds, yards, and 
kilns ; when I saw them there were 300,000 bricks, 
principally on the floors, but one very large kiln was 
already made and burning. The women here dress in 
quite a different way to any I have yet seen, their cos- 
tume being composed of a light band of palm-fibres, 
made from the bark, and dyed — some orange, some 
lemon and orange, others black or deep lake-red ; they 
look for all the world like a ballet-dancer's skirts. Both 
men and women are a very fine-looking race. The new 
Station is defended by three palisades and a ditch ; at 
the corners are raised platforms for the Krupp guns. 
There is the making of a good garden, which is the 
result of Mr. Bailey's teaching, who seems to have 
taught them more than half of what they know on the 
Congo, especially in matters connected with sport, 
gardening, and planting. Mons. Baert give us dinner 
in the evening, after which Mr. Stanley rose, and in a 
speech proposed the health of the King of the Belgians. 
He began by telling us of the state Bangala and the 
other places on the river were in when he passed down 
ten years ago, and had the great fight with the natives 
here. He continued : — " Now here I find an hotel 



54 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

J^^''- (doubtful compliment to the Belgians, who call it a Free 
Ban aia ^^^^^ statiou !), whcio ouo cau have a good bed, good 
dinner, and everything that one wants." He then traced 
how this was all owing to the King of the Belgians, and 
went on to say that we were here at the very last point 
of civilization between us and Zanzibar. The speech 
ended by his proposing the health of the King of the 
Belgians, which was duly drunk. 

Major Barttelot, with forty of the best of the Souda- 
nese, goes on to Stanley Falls in the Henry Reed, where 
he leaves Tippu-Tib, and comes up the Aruwimi to 
where we are to make the entrenched camp, about 120 
miles up the river. The reason that Stanley is sending 
the Soudanese instead of the Zanzibaris, is that he fears 
that if they saw Tippu's place and people, the discon- 
tented ones would come back to the camp, and persuade 
the others to desert us ; as, should they once get to 
Tippu-Tib's camp, it would be a simple matter for them 
to get out to Zanzibar with one of his caravans, oi 
find employment in some of his towns. The tribes on 
the Aruwimi are very fierce and warlike, and are real 
cannibals, so they will be rather interesting to study. 
Mr. Stanley is the only white man who has been any 
distance up the river, and I believe he has not been so 
far as where we intend to make our camp. 

Captain Hansen, in the Free State service, left three 
of his Houssas at one of the towns near the mouth of 
the Aruwimi, and the natives tied them to trees, and 
crammed them with food until they considered them 
sufficiently fat, when they ate two of them, but the 
third, being a thin old fellow, was reserved. How- 
ever, he escaped, and was caught and tied up again ; 
this happened twice, but the third time he got away to 
the river, and was picked up by one of the steamers. 
The same curious appearance is given to the palm-trees 
here as at Equator Station, by the weaver-birds stripping 
off all the leaves for their nests, which they have built 
on a large tree without any leaves in the centre of the 
Station. The hippopotami are becoming very scarce ; we 
have hardly seen one since leaving Equator Station. 



DIARY, • 55 

May 31s^.— The Henry Beed left for the Falls, with ^^\ 
Major Barttelot and Tippu-Tib, at 6 a.m. Mr. Stanley q^^^^ 
left in the Peace at noon. Our men strolled on board River, 
evidently just as they pleased, and we did not get 
away for a good hour and a half after him. Since 
that speech of his to them at Lukulela they have lost 
what little sense of discipline they ever had. We all 
lunched with Mons. Baert, and a capital lunch he 
gave us. 

Major Barttelot left nineteen of the Soudanese and 
Alexander (one of the interpreters) in my charge until 
he arrives at the Aruwimi camp. Alexander and four 
others are in a very bad state, and one of the men espe- 
cially I do not expect to live more than a few days. 
They are the most helpless and desponding lot of m.en 
when they are at all sick that I ever came across. I 
tried to buy a very curious knife from one of the Ban- 
galas this morning, but he asked such an absurd price 
for it that I told him he ought to keep it at home for 
fear of losing it. The Captain told us to-day that 
at Manyanga, on the lower Congo, a hippo that Avas on 
shore Avas fired at, and, charging through the village, 
ran clean through the middle of the walls of a house on 
to the roof of Avhich a lot of people had retreated. 

June 1st. — Kept steaming away all day behind the 
Peace until nearly sunset. Went to bed with a distinct 
touch of fever. 

June 2nd. — Had to lie up all day. 

June 3rd. — Bad night ; had to lie up again all day, 
but got better towards evening, thanks to old Parke, 
who has given me the right medicine to begin with, 
and topped it up Avith arroAvroot, milk, and brandy. 
There are enormous quantities of orchilla-Aveed all 
along the south bank, and for the last three days we 
have passed through one continuous stream of the 
common Avhite butterfly of the Congo, all migrating 
from the south bank to the north. A day or tAVo before 
I saAv them crossing the river I noticed them flying 



56 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

line's through the trees on the south bank in enormous 
Oo„go numbers, and all going eastward in the same direction 
River, as oursolves ; then suddenly they began to cross in 
thousands, and have been crossing ever since. 

Ju7ie 4ith. — Thank goodness, feel myself again. 
Steamed away all day through the same monotonous 
scenery, although I must say some of the gorgeous 
colouring can never seem anything but fresh and pleas- 
ing to the eye. A few monkeys looked at us, and 
helped to relieve the monotony of the scene. We 
never managed to catch up the Peace. The first hippos 
we have seen for a long time came up close to the 
steamer after we had made fast for the night, and Parke 
had a shot at one of them, but put the bullet just over 
his head. After he fired I noticed a very large flight of 
birds, all flying due south, and from their form and 
flight, seen in the dusky light, they appeared to be 
medium-sized owls. The flight continued for quite 
twenty minutes. One of the Somalis died to-day ; he 
had only been ill about twenty-four hours. 

Sunday., June btL — Started very early — almost in the 
dark — in hopes of catching up the Peace ; this we failed 
to do. One of the Soudanese died to-day, the second 
death amongst them since leaving Bangala. When they 
once get sick they neither eat, drink, nor move ; in fact, 
like the Somalis, they simply make up their minds to 
die. I saw many very fine orchids in the jungle to-day, 
but none of them in flower, and one beautiful fern 
growing high up in the palm-trees. The leaves of it 
grow outwards for only a few inches, and then hang 
straight down in perfect masses round the trunk of 
the palm. This would be a most effective plant in a 
European hothouse. 

June 6th. — Quite an exciting day. Made an early 
start, and after going through the most difficult passages 
between islands and sandbanks, we at last came within 
sight of Upoto, which stands at the foot of the first high 
ground we have seen for some time. No signs of either 



Upoto. 



DIARY, 57 

the Peace or the Henry Meed ! There were three sepa- 1887. 
rate villages some distance apart, so we steamed up to 
the one highest up river, to see if the steamers could be 
there. Not finding them, we made for the middle 
village, and upon our approach to land, all the natives 
rushed down to the shore with their spears, shields, and 
guns, yelling and shouting at us to keep back. They 
certainly meant an attack, so we started for the lowest 
village, the natives following us and running along the 
shore, where they were joined by all the men of the 
third village. As wood was very short, and we must 
get food for the men, we ran the steamer straight for 
shore, and they all stood about forty yards oif, making 
a terrific noise. They at length listened to our spokes- 
man, and agreed to allow us to land if one of the white 
men would come on shore and be made blood-brother 
to their chief. Stairs and the Captain of the steamer 
landed, and the ceremony was performed with much 
pomp. Stairs' arm was slightly cut until blood came, 
and the chiefs also, then the bleeding parts were rubbed 
together, each man swearing to be a " true brother " to 
the other. All this time a wild song was kept up by 
the natives, beer was drunk, and the chief sent us a 
present of a goat. The fierce natives of half an hour 
ago were in one moment transformed into the sharpest 
and most eager traders, ready to sell everything they 
possessed. What little modesty one has left, after see- 
ing daily so many naked forms, here received rather a 
shock, for the women are as Eve was before she went 
to Madame Figuier for her costumes. There were a few 
exceptions among the elder women, but their attempts 
at dress are so much of a failure that they had far better 
remain as their sisters. The people here are the genuine 
savage, without a vestige of civilization. I bought three 
very curious knives, two handsome spears, and a shield, 
which, if they ever reach home, will be great curiosities. 
In the afternoon up steamed the Peace. Mr. Stanley 
was in a fearful rage. It appears that after missing us 
yesterday he steamed back down river to look for us, 
thereby losing a whole day. He told us that had he 



58 



STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 



1887. 
June 6. 

Upoto. 



not found the steamer here, he would have treated us 
all as deserters. Now this is hardly fair, as from what 
the Captain and Engineer of the Peace both say it is 
evident that he missed us owing to a fault of his own. 
He mistook a channel of the main river for a small river 
which he thought ran into the Congo at this place. He 
therefore steamed away outside an island when we went 
up the passage along the mainland. He used some very 




hard words whilst talking to us, and it seems as if he 
did not trust us when one yard away from him. As for 
myself, I know I have done nothing, but then I have 
been so seedy until yesterday; but the other officers 




have worked away as hard as any white man can, stand- 
ing for hours in the most horrible swamps till long after 
dark to get enough wood. What sickens one of the 
whole thing is the utter distrust which Mr. Stanley 
plainly tells us he has of us all ; and how long this state 
of things is going to last I cannot tell, but it is frightfully 



DIAEY. 59 

disheartening. The necklaces in fashion here are ^^^^'^ 
mostly of human or crocodile teeth, which are bored upoto. 
and hung in large numbers on a piece of string ; the 
earrings worn by men, instead of the women, are of 
cowrie-shells. They had a lot of ivory to sell at absurdly 
low prices, but all very small and discoloured. Their 
huts, which are miserable, are built in small streets at 
right angles to the river-bank. Had an interesting chat 
with Mr. Charters of the Peace ^ who confirmed in every 
particular the story of the Houssas being eaten at 
Basoko. 

June 7th. — The war-like natives of yesterday are 
peaceful traders now, coming up with a shield and spear 
in one hand, and two eggs or a fowl in the other, and 
begging one to buy. Mr. Stanley told them that had 
they attacked us yesterday, there would not have been 
a vestige of their village left this morning. We started 
at 12 o'clock, and steamed away into the usual maze of 
islands, quickly losing sight of the high mainland, 
which had been so refreshing to our eyes. We started 
this time with every intention of its not being our fault 
if we lose the Peace again. Both steamers stopped at 
5 o'clock, and the usual cutting of wood in swamps was 
gone through. This time I was fit and went out too. 




\ 

Native ok Utoto. 




-.<-v '->^^n?»^ 



^7 ^.^■ 




Native Village. 



CHAPTER IV. 

June 8th to July 31st. 

Letter to Mrs. Jameson. — Pass burning villages. — Arrival at Aruwimi Iliver. 
— Conical-shaped huts. — Occupation of Yambuya. — Arrival oi Henry 
Reed. — Stanley's letter of instructions. — He-packing bales for Emin. 
— Barttelot made " blood-brother " with native chief. — Rations for six 
months. — ^'Beggars must not be choosers." — Stanley's departure. — 
Building boma. — Extraordinarj'- flight of butterflies. — Palaver with 
natives. — ^'Collecting" captives.— Natives capture Omari. — Woman 
-Uselessness of chiefs. — Gum-copal. 



1887. 
June 8. 



PROM A LETTER TO MRS. JAMESON. 

June Sfh. — I will now give you a general idea of the 
plan of campaign. At present we have left behind us 



EXTRACT FROM LETTER. 61 

a force of 124 men at Bolobo under Ward and Bonny, j^^^o 
At Leopoldville is an enormous quantity of stores and con'^c 
ammunition which we could not bring. When the Ri^er. 
steamers leave us at the entrenched camp, they return 
down the Congo, and the Stanley will bring up all the 
stores and ammunition with the 124 men from Bolobo. 
In the meanwhile Stanley will have gone on with 360 
men (leaving 100 men with us in camp), carrying light 
loads, to make a forced march through the unknown 
country to Lake Albert Nyanza, where he expects Emin 
Bey to come down from Wadelai to meet him. On the 
return of the Stanley to the Aruwimi camp with the 
stores and the 124 men, our force will consist of a 
little over 200 men. Tippu-Tib will then send us about 
400 men from Stanley Falls. When they arrive we shall 
take all the stores and ammunition and march after 
Stanley ; he will have marked the trees on his route. 
And now I think I have told you as much as any of us, 
except Stanley, knoAV about our plans for the future. 

June 10th. — I must give you the menu of our mid- 
day meal, which we have just finished : — 

^Soup. 
Weevil-eaten beans, flavoured with goat. 

Entree. 
Stewed goat and rice. 

Roast. 
Koast leg of goat and rice. 

Vegetable. 
Kice and fried manioc-flour. 

Swi'ct. 
Fried banaiins. 

So you see we are not so badly off! We have no spirits 
of any kind, but drink boiled Congo water. 

I enclose a little sketch I made of a native chief who 
came to make a present of a goat to Mr. Stanley at a 



62 STORY Ot THE REAR COLUMN, 

^^^^10 pl^ce called Nzungi, on the march from Matadi to 



June 10. 

Congo 
Eiver. 



Stanley Pool. 




I have never been on any trip where there is so little 
enjoyment of any kind ; it is all so serious, and a sort of 
gloom hangs over it all. If one does say anything which 
raises a laugh, it is the most ghastly imitation of one, 
and dies a sudden death, not to be raised again, per- 
haps, that day. 



DIAEY {continued). 

June Sth. — Just after starting this morning we dis- 
turbed an old hippo at his breakfast in the long grass, 
and he Avalked quietly into the water, giving us a splen- 
did vieAv of his person. In the afternoon we passed one 
very large native village, which is the first I have seen 
really constructed on a definite plan. It was all built 
in small squares, the river forming the fourth side, with 
a regular landing-place for canoes to each little square, 
and roughly-made ladders up the bank. The people 
were very eager to trade, and followed us a long way in 
their canoes. The women, with few exceptions, still 



DIAET. 63 

continue to wear nothing whatever. I must say that at ^^^J^ 
one village, however, most of the women had tied round ^ * 
their waists large green banana-leaves, cut into fine long River, 
shreds, and just pulled off the trees, as if they knew we 
were coming. Ihe bright green against their dusky 
skins was very eiFective. I noticed one very large black 
monkey to-day, with an immensely long tail. 

June 9th. — Cup-day at Ascot. What crowds of 
recollections suddenly spring up when one thinks of 
this, and how I wonder if, amongst the number of one's 
friends there, any of them will give a thought to 
those who are absent like myself. We passed great 
numbers of native villages, the inhabitants of which are 
a really savage-looking people, of whom it is very easy 
to believe all the stories of cannibalism ; they all, how- 
ever, wanted us to land and trade, holding up goats 
and fowls, and following us for long distances in 
their canoes. The whole of the deck-cabin nearly came 
down to-day, owing to the great pressure of the top 
deck, which is crowded with men. We had to move 
half the men off it on to the lower one, where they 
are now packed like sardines. If the top deck comes 
down, it will burst all the steam-pipes, scald a lot of us, 
and throw most of the men into the river. 

June 10th. — Some of the villages we passed on the 
banks of the mainland are very large. The natives 
were collected in groups at every landing place opposite 
to the huts, some of them with their bodies entirely 
covered with bright red clay, and their black faces yet 
more blackened and shining, presented a very curious 
appearance. It is very funny to see them in some 
places, peering out of holes in the dense undergrowth 
of the forest, just like frightened animals. At one 
village their principal occupation seemed to be in 
making canoes ; they use a tool very like our adze. I 
noticed a great number of elephant tracks all through 
the forest. It was my turn to sit up and see the wood 
split for the steamer. Did not get to bed until 2.30 p.m. 



64 8T0RY OF THE REAR COLUMN, 

June^ii. «/^^^^ 11th. — Passed some very large villages, one ol 
Congo them extending over two miles ; they seem to be very 
River, thickly populated. They are all built on the same plan 
as that one described above Upoto, in small squares, 
the river-bank forming the fourth side of the square, 
with a bare courtyard in the centre, where they make 
their pottery, &c. The native shields are nearly all 
made of hide of some kind, I think goat, but I saw one 
which looked very like bush buckskin ; they have a 
raised basin-shaped dome in the centre in some cases, 
made of metal. Between the small squares of the 
villages are either patches of plantains and bananas or 
jungle, while at the rear there is generally a strip of 
Indian corn or manioc, and then comes the forest. There 
are evidently great manufactures of pottery, for I saw 
great heaps of pottery in all stages. In all the squares 
is a great drum formed of a hollow log, covered at the 
end with skin. Many of the natives dye their bodies 
bright red with cam-wood, others are blackened all 
over with the forehead painted pure white, and a small 
patch under each eye. This gives them the most 
ghastly appearance. One of the largest villages, Mbunan, 
had just been burned the night before we passed, and 
some of the huts were still burning. A few of the in- 
habitants were wandering about in their war-paint, and 
looking at the ruins, but they all fled at our approach. 
They are anything but friendly, as at nearly every village 
they yelled and shouted at us, shaking their spears and 
shields, and making signs of cutting our throats, heaping 
all sorts of insults upon us. It is a bad look-out for 
our chances of trading for food at the entrenched camp. 

June 12th. — Arrived at the Aruwimi at last. Did 
not pass as many villages as yesterday. One large one 
on the north bank is called Yalumbo. The natives 
seem to be of a much lighter colour than those we have 
seen on the south bank; they are shorter and better 
built. Their paddles are very long in the blade, and 
beautifully shaped. We came in sight of the mouth of 
the Aruwimi about 4 p.m., and entered by the channel 



DIARY. 65 

on the north bank ; the other channel is hidden by a j^^^T:- 
large island which stands in the centre of the mouth of Aruwimi 
the river. Mr. Stanley steamed across to Basoko, a River, 
large town on the opposite bank, and told the people 
he wished them to bring us food. He then returned to 
an old camping-place of his, and we put in a little 
lower down. At our approach immense numbers of 
canoes left the town for the opposite banks and islands. 
The view at the mouth of the river is very pretty, as 
there is a grand stretch of the Congo without islands, 
and the forest is very tine. Baruti, Stanley's native 
servant, originally came from Basoko, and I believe 
there was a most interesting scene when the Peace 
went over there, between him and his relations. Much 
weeping and kissing ! Basoko stands in lat. 1° 15'' and 
long. 24° 12". The river here is just 900 yards wide. 
The natives all have their ears stretched in several 
places by pieces of stick placed in the holes. 

June Vdth. — Orders came from the Peace that we 
were not to start until 12 o'clock, in the hope that the 
people would bring us food, but no canoes came near 
us. The Stanley was the steamer which carried the 
men belonging to the Free State, who burnt the town 
about fourteen months ago, and they are still afraid to 
come near her. Not five minutes after we had started, 
a number of natives who must have been hidden quite 
close to us in the bush, ran down to our landing-place. 
We all went into fits of laughter at a few men on the 
bank (further up) who gave us a regular war dance, the 
principal features of which were insulting gestures. 
The banks of the river are far more thickly populated 
than the Congo. If they chose to attack us when 
we are scattered in small parties through the dense 
forest, woodcutting, Avhere one could not use a rifle 
until they were close to one, they could easily finish us 
all. I was to-night in the dark, on one of the native 
paths, without a light of any kind for over an hour, not 
a dozen men with me, and I have not the least doubt 
that the natives were close to us in the bush. I 

F 



66 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

June^is ^^^ ^^^ ^^ curious appearance of their ears is due to 

Aruwimi ^^^^^ ^^ ^^7 coloured grasses, bunches of teeth, and all 

Rifer. sorts of things stuck into the holes bored all along 




their edges. I saw one man to-day, with a long piece 
of stick, put right through both nostrils at right angles 




to his nose. They have small oval shields, sharp-pointed 
at both ends, with a raised dome in the centre, different 
from any others down river. 



DIARY. 67 

Jane lith. — Just before we started some of Mr. 1887. 
Stanley's company set fire to the huts, a most uncalled- ""^. . 

r ' n ^ -i 11-1 1 Aruwimi 

lor piece oi devilment, and a tnmg to be regretted, as River, 
it is more likely to set the natives against us than 
anything. Saw the first of the conical-shaped huts 
mentioned in Stanley's book; they are made of the 
leaves of palms cut off near the trunk, and overlapping 
one another layer upon layer, like a shingle roof. The 
door is small and low, the huts being generally very 
high. Some of the natives came across and wished to 
trade. Most of their paddles have a knob of ivory 
on the end, and are of the most graceful shapes. 

June 16th. — Last night ten rounds of ammunition 
per man were served out, and now we go about in fear 
of our lives that they will be trying the cartridges in 
their rifies, and letting them ofi" by accident. The river 
is now very much narrower, not over 500 yards wide, 
and the north bank is much higher than the south. A 
little after 5 o'clock we came within sight of the rapids, 
and the town of Yambuya, where the entrenched camp 
is to be, and which is to be our home for so long. I 
was greatly disappointed with the rapids, which are 
nothing in appearance but a few lines of broken water, 
although a great volume of water must pass over them. 
We made fast to the bank opposite the tovni, and 
Stairs went over to see Mr. Stanley, and returned with 
the following orders. We were to have steam up at 
6 A.M. The Peace was to start first, go over to the 
village, and if possible have a palaver with the natives. 
We were to steam out into the middle of the river, and 
just keep headway against the stream. No whistle 
would be blown except by the Feace, and that would be 
a signal that negotiations had failed. We were then to 
cross over to her, when Jephson would land his company, 
Stanley having already landed his ; they were to ascend 
the bank, and spread in skirmishing order through the 
village. Whilst the others were landing. Stairs, if 
necessary, was to work the Maxim gun from the top 
deck of the Stanley. As I had no company, I was 

f2 



68 STOJiT OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

junris P^^P^^ed to do any general fighting. No shots were to 
Yambuya, ^^ feed, and no damage done to the village unless the 
natives showed active resistance. 

June \^th. — At 6 a.m. the Peace steamed over to the 
village, and Mr. Stanley had a very long palaver with 
the natives, who would not hear of our landing there. 
So the whistle was at last blown, and we at once cast 
off and joined the Peace, which had dropped down 
below the landing-place. The orders were carried out 
exactly, and it was a ludicrous sight to see Jephson's 
chief going up the bank first, which was fearfully steep, 
and about 40 ft. high, holding his rifle as far out in 
front of him as possible, and peering on every side for 
a lurking foe. Not a native was to be seen when they 
did get up, and the whole village was occupied in 
perfect peace. We put up our tents, and destroyed the 
huts which were not required for our men. After 
dinner Mr. Stanley called us all to his tent, and had a 
long talk with us. He explained the plan of the fort, 
which was to be a triangle, with its base the river-bank, 
stockaded, and with an outside ditch of 6 ft. wide and 
4 ft. deep, 10 ft. from the boma (stockade). He told us 
that Tippu-Tib was coming with as many men as he 
could get together, seven days after our landing, and 
going on with him to the Lake. He would also send 
enough men to enable us to follow after him with all 
the stores left here, and those brought up by the Stanley 
on her return journey. He also said that where there 
was enough food for so many natives, there must be far 
more than enough for us. He dwelt a long time on the 
great importance of Barttelot's and my position, being 
left in charge of the fort to guard all the stores, as, if 
anything should happen to them, the Expedition would 
be at an end. Mr. Stanley said he would finish the 
stockade, and as much of the defences as possible, and 
that he would not in any case leave us until we were in 
what he considered a position of perfect safety. He also 
told us of his intention of returning from Lake Albert 
Nyanza on the route which he will take from here, in 



DIABY. 71 



1887. 
June 16. 



case we had not enough men to come on with the 
ammunition and stores : in any case we would meet on ^""y" 
the road. Ihe natives have removed every vestige oi 
food. In the centre of this village are three poles 
between which are built up the most extraordinary- 
collection of native skulls, baskets, and all sorts of 
implements. 

June 17th. — My orders for the day were to unload 
the Stanley and Florida^ and stack all the stores and 
ammunition. This took the whole day to finish. Nelson 
and his company were all day making a road up the 
river through the villages in that direction, so as to 
give Mr. Stanley and his party a fair start on their long 
journey. All the villages were deserted. Stairs finished 
the clearing round the camp, and began the stockade, 
Jephson and his men cut wood for the steamers, and 
Parke explored in search of manioc plantations. A few 
natives came in and told Mr. Stanley that the country 
further up the river becomes very hilly, the travelling 
stony and rough, but that there are plenty of villages. 
News gradually spread through camp that Baruti, Mr. 
Stanley's native boy, whom he has had for years, had 
run away, taking with him Mr. Stanley's belt with 
cartridges, revolver, and compass, and also a rifie be- 
longing to William Hofiman, his servant. Feruzi and 
Bulla, boys belonging to the Captain of the Stanley, 
and one of the Engineers had bolted too. This proves 
how the savage in a man will out, no matter how 5^011 
train him. The natives have crossed the river, and 
formed a large camp on the opposite shore. 

In a letter to his wife, dated the lith June, Jameson 
writes : — 

" I cannot get over the feeling of disappointment at 
being left alone here with only Major Barttelot, when 
all the others are marching on to the Lakes. We shall 
have to do afterwards by ourselves, with Troup, Ward, 
and Bonny, the same march through the same unknown 
country as the others are doing with Stanley as their 



72 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN, 

^ ^^^Vq leader, and all the picked Zanzibaris in the Expedition. 

June In. ^ ^ tip 

Yambuya. ^ suppose we shall be here about two months before the 
steamer returns up river, and we can start. I am a 
giant of health just noA¥, and once we are settled in 
the camp I shall have time to draw, paint, and write all 
sorts of things for you. I like to linger over my letters 
to you for hours, for then the Expedition and all its 
surroundings seem to fade far away, but I am rudely 
awakened, as usual, to the dry hard facts of our progress 
up this river . . . ." 

And later on, from Yambuya, he says : — (June 18th) 
" This is an unfortunate place for me to be confined 
to, as there is not a single track of game of any kind . . 
June 19th. . . To-morrow morning we shall eat our last 
piece of the old milk-goat, and I expect it will be a 
good two months before Barttelot and I get any more, 
for the natives have brought in nothing. Stanley and 
his party, however, should get plenty, as they Avill come 
upon villages before the people have time to carry away 
anything . . . ." 



DIARY (continued). 

June ISth. — Nelson, Parke, and Jephson were all 
out cutting wood. Stairs was finishing poles for 
stockade, whilst I was collecting wood, and seeing it 
stacked. No natives came in; not a bit of meat in 
Camp. 

June 19fh. — Nothing of interest. 

June 20th. — Every one out woodcutting. I again 
superintended splitting and stacking. The Stanley left 
at last for Leopoldville, carrying all our mails. There 
were many happy hearts when she started, we had had 
to cut ten days' wood for her, which was an enormous 
pile. The Feace is to remain and go back with the 
Henry Reed. The Stanley is to make all haste en route^ 
and return as soon as possible with all the stores and 



DIARY, 73 

ammunition from Leopoldville, and the men from ^^^^o 
Bolobo. Mr. Stanley has promised the Captain and Yambuya 
Engineer £50 each, if they return in August, or at the 
latest in September, and handed to me the orders on 
the bank to give them if they do so. 

June 21st. — Have been very seedy for the last week, 
and felt worse to-day. Inspecting stacking and splitting 
wood again. Mr. Stanley began to build the store, 
which is also to be my house, and blamed me for not 
having done so before, although he must have known 
that for the last three days I could not have got a man 
or an axe to help me, and he himself told me to look 
after the splitting and stacking of wood. The Henry 
Beed, with Barttelot, never turned up, although over- 
due. Some natives came into camp to have a palaver 
with Mr. Stanley ; they proposed that we should send 
five Zanzibaris over with them to the other side of the 
river to show confidence, and make palaver. Stanley 
said no, but that they must send two goats and ten 
fowls to us, and then palaver. Still no meat in camp. 
Living on rice, manioc cakes, and beans with biscuit ; 
no sugar or salt — a fact ! The natives get manioc by 
crossing the river below camp at night, and going up 
into the plantations. 

June 22nd. — Mr. Stanley was getting very anxious 
to-day about the Henry Reed^ and ordered the Peace to 
start down the river with Stairs and 30 men on board 
to-morrow, and proceed to the Falls. He thought 
that perhaps Tippu-Tib might have seized the steamer 
— rather a curious fact, since he stated to us that he 
considered Tippu's word as good as any white man's. 
HoAvever, Avhen we had given up all hope, late in the 
evening she appeared round the bend of the river, and 
Barttelot brought two magnificent, big, fat goats and 
some bananas and plantains. There was also a splendid 
fat cow on board, a present from Tippu-Tib to the 
native chief at Leopoldville, which I wish Mr. Stanley 
would have allowed us to seize, as I do not see a chance 



74 STOET OF TEE BEAR COLUMN. 

of our getting any meat after he is gone. The large 
town we saw burning on the Congo was burnt by the 
people on the Henry Reed after all, as Tippu-Tib's 
people had been looting and were attacked, and some 
of them were badly wounded, after which they burnt 
the whole place. Tippu-Tib is not coming after all. 
but is going to send a chief and some men instead. 
It appears that in Mr. Stanley's contract with him, Mr. 
Stanley promised to supply all his men with ammuni- 
tion ; Tippu-Tib found out that he could not do this, 
as all the powder and caps are still at Leopoldville, so 
he is very much annoyed, and at first was not going to 
send anyone; but Major Barttelot persuaded him, 
telling him that all the ammunition would be here on 
the return of the Stanley. Mr. Charters, the missionary 
engineer of the Peace, made me exceedingly anxious 
this morning by informing me that there is a great 
chance that my letters sent by the Stanley will never 
reach home, as they would almost certainly be opened, 
read, and destroyed at Boma ; he told me that letters 
are constantly stopped there*. This is a most dis- 
graceful thing, for if there is one thing ever respected 
in any country by the governing body, it is the 
mails. 

June 2^rd. — All day stacking stores and ammunition. 
In the afternoon four or five Soudanese came in, 
carrying one of their party, who had been speared by a 
native; they had been looting a village, when the 
natives attacked them. Two Zanzibaris, who were with 
them, fired and killed a native, when the others all ran 
away. Dr. Parke says it is a dangerous wound (in the 
groin), although he ought to live. There was great 
beating of drums after this, but no further attack. Poor 
Alexander, one of the Soudanese interpreters, died 
to-day. He has been ill for a long time, and ought 
never to have been taken on the Expedition. 

* In justice to the Congo authorities on this occasion, it must be 
stated that all the letters sent bv Jameson arrived safe and unopened. 



DIABT. 75 

June 24:th. — The Henri/ Beed and Peace left early this j'^^^24 
morning. All men out cutting poles for palisade, which yambu a 
was partly finished by evening. 

June 2t>th. — Jephson and I had to write a report 
upon the state of the bales of clothes &c. for Emin. 
In consequenc of the way in which they were packed, 
nearly the whole of them were rotten ; but there were 
a good many which, with patching, might still be made 
wearable, so we decided to repack these, and use the 
rest for medical bandages. Stairs is really very bad 
with fever ; in fact, so bad that Mr. Stanley warned me 
to be ready to go instead of him at a moment's notice. 
To-day Mr. Stanley gave Major Barttelot a long letter 
of instructions and advice, of which I had to make tAvo 
copies *. I was very glad indeed to get the letter, as it 
cleared up many things, of which I had only a very 
hazy idea. It is clear upon every point, but as regards 
our relations with Tippu-Tib's people, I think more 
might have been told us on this subject. 

June 2Qth. — Engaged all morning in re-packing the 
bales for Emin Pasha, which are now reduced from five 
to three. I had to use the cover of my tent to pack a 
good many of the things in, which is a great loss to 
me, but it is in a good cause. The chief of the natives 
came over to-day, with whom Major Barttelot was made 
" blood-brother," in order to increase our friendly rela- 
tions with them after Mr. Stanley's departure. A 
chicken (needless to say supplied by the natives) had 
its head cut off, the blood being scattered over the 
lookers on, then a cut was made both on the Major's 
arm and that of the chief; the bleeding parts were 
rubbed together, and then rubbed on the back of each 
other's necks. They then kissed one another, and are 
now supposed to be fast friends. Let us hope that it 
will induce them to bring us something to eat. The 
European provisions were opened to-day, and Nelson 

* See Appendix II. 



76 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 



1887. 
June 26. 



was busy all day in sorting them out in rations for each 
rambuja. ^^^ ^^^ six mouths. Each man's allowance is the 
following : — 

Coffee 2| lbs. 1^ tin sausages. 

Tea 1^ lb. 1 tin flour. 

3 tins of jam. J tin sago. 

1^ tin sardines. 4 tins condensed milk 

"I tin red herrings. ^ lb. sugar. 

^ tin tapioca. 1^ tin cocoa. 

1 small tin of salt. 2 tins biscuit. 

3 small tins of butter. 2 pots Liebig. 

■| tin chocolate. 

When one reflects that the above have to be eked out 
over 180 days, one would really rather be without a 
great many of them than only have enough to make 
one wish for more! The tins are the ordinarv small 
ones in general use in very small households. Here 
are Major Barttelot and myself left absolutely without 
one atom of meat, tinned or fresh, for several months, 
and no visible means of obtaining any, for the natives 
have brought in nothing, and have removed everything 
from all the villages within reach of this camp. There 
is not a pound of game-meat, either bird or animal, in 
the whole country round. Had Mr. Stanley only used 
three of his many men to carry tinned meat, the Major 
and I might have had ^ lb. a day each of good meat for 
the whole six months, far more than we should ever have 
used. When complaining of food some one might say, 
" Oh, you had such luxuries as chocolate, sausages, red 
herrings, and sardines ! What have you got to com- 
plain of? " One could only answer that J a small tin 
of chocolate, 1^ ditto of sausages, J ditto red herrings, 
and 1^ ditto of sardines was not tasting much luxury 
for 180 days. This evening Mr. Stanley sent round, to 
all the oflicers he is taking with him, his orders for the 
conduct of the march. Always first will be a company, 
commanded by him in person, of fifty men, who will 
clear the road; then the main bodv, consisting of all 



DIARY. 11 



It. 

June 2(>. 



carriers and supernumeraries to help the tired or sick ; ^^ 
lastly the rear-guard, of thirty armed men, with no ^ ^, 
loads, and others to help those who fall out from the 
main body. There were numerous other directions 
about communications between parts of the column, 
&c. Lastly he stated his intentions of forming a camp 
on the S.W. corner of Lake Albert Nyanza. From there 

he will cross in the boat to in Unyoro, where he 

will meet Signor , from whom he will find out the 

whereabouts of Emin Pasha. If in the neighbourhood 
of the Lake, he will meet him, and, after discovering his 
intentions, will start back for this Camp to bring on the 
rest of the stores and ammunition, should we not be 
already on the road to the Lake. If not, he would 
reach here some time in November most probably. 
The above is all in Mr. Stanley's letter of instructions 
to Major Barttelot. 

June 21th. — All morning and forenoon were taken up 
in arranging the men who are going on, into companies, 
and sorting out those who are to be left behind. 
Seventy-six of the very worst were left, and only one 
chief called Munichandi, a man who is utterly worth- 
less, as the men do not care one rush for what he says. 
Had Mr. Stanley tried, he could not have left a worse 
man as chief over the class of men left behind. It was 
the greatest mistake not to leave us at least one good 
man whom the men would respect and obey, but I 
suppose beggars must not be choosers. He has taken 
ten of the best of the Soudanese, and the bugler who 
would have been a great help in camp. To-day the 
Major and I made our last good square meal of meat, 
I expect, for a long time. Stairs is still very ill, but is 
going to be carried. 

June 2Sth.—At 10 minutes past 8 a.m. Mr. Stanley 
started, after bidding us a very kind good-bye, with an 
exchange of wishes for the best of luck on both sides. 
A good-bye and God-speed was exchanged with all the 
other officers. Nelson being the last to leave, as he had 
charge of the rear-guard. Then Major Barttelot and 



78 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMJ^, 

Jun^^28 ^ began the real work of the camp, collected all the 
Yambuya ^^^^ froHi the desorted huts, and cleaned up the whole 
camp. I got ten men together and arranged the things 
left behind. Barttelot went out to cut poles for the 
boma. Having finished the work in the store, I brought 
up my things from my tent, bed and all, and made the 
place habitable. It is frightfully damp, and Mr. Stanley 
could not have chosen a worse place for it. Before 
dinner we set the following sentries : — 2 Zanzibaris at 
bastion behind the store, 2 Zanzibaris at covered way to 
the water, 2 Soudanese on platform, 1 Soudanese at 
west end of boma, 2 Zanzibaris between western limit 
and path to landing-place, 1 Soudanese on path to 
landing-place, 4 Zanzibaris on open space of unfinished 
boma, 1 Soudanese at the main gate east. I went 
round of sentries at 8.30, 10, and 4 o'clock. 

June 29th. — Off at 6 o'clock with 20 men to cut 
poles to finish boma. We have only been left ^Ye axes 
which can by any possibility be used, and of these only 
two can be called fairly good. We cut ninety poles, 
and returned to camp at 11.80. The chiefs are worse 
than useless, and the Major and I have to inspect every 
little thing that is done. There were one or two very 
small scraps of meat left last night in the stew, the last 
we are likely to see for a long time, so we ordered them 
to be kept for our mid-day meal to-day, although we 
should have turned up our noses at them a few days 
ago. When the pot arrived. Major Barttelot plunged 
his fork into it, and drew forth — not meat — but a filthy 
piece of old rag ! Heavens ! were'nt we in a rage ! — our 
last piece of meat, and we could not eat it ! Went out 
and cut more poles. Dined off three pigeons, which I 
shot, manioc and bananas. The manioc nearly finished 
me. Went round of sentries 7.30, 11, and 2.30 a.m. 

June 30th. — At 6.30 a.m. I started off to cut poles for 
boma. When the natives on the opposite side of the 
river saw us, they evidently thought that the camp was 
deserted, and at least fifty canoes crossed over between 
us and camp. I at once ordered the men to turn, as I 



DIARY, 79 

thought we might be cut off. Upon seeing us return jy^'oo 
to the camp, the natives all bolted and re-crossed the Yambuy& 
river, so we quietly proceeded to cut poles. Seedy all 
day and night. Pounded boiled rice, fried in cakes, 
quite a success. 

July 1st. — 6 A.M., off again cutting poles for that 
infernal boma, but, thank heavens, finished it at last. 
I shall hate the sight of any kind of wooden paling 
after this. The Major began the big ditch round the 
boma to-day, 10 feet from boma, 6 feet wide, and 4^ 
feet deep. He shot a pigeon, and as there were three 
very, very small chickens which I was trying to rear, 
and as " two are company and three are none," I killed 
one of them, and we had a steAV for dinner, which was a 
great success. Major Barttelot took night of sentries, 
as 1 am still seedy. We have begun from to-day to 
take night about in going the rounds. 

July 2nd. — Three sentries were caught asleep last 
night. There is no excuse for them, as they have been 
warned two or three times they will be flogged if found 
asleep, and they go on duty two together, so that one 
may sleep while the other watches. They got 25 strokes 
each. My boy Matajabu succeeded in buying one small 
pot of honey and three ripe plaintains from some natives 
to-day. I would knight him, had I the power ! Went 
round sentries ; caught two asleep. 

July drd, Sunday. — Began by flogging the sentries 
caught asleep. This sort of thing must be stopped, as 
we are a very small force, liable to be attacked at any 
moment. Nearly all hands at ditch again. Gave the 
men a half-holiday. Served out one mataka and six 
cowries to each man as their weekly allowance ; they 
at first refused to take the coAvries, saying the natives 
would not take them, but I told them those were 
Mr. Stanley's orders. The rain came through my roof 
in streams, and wet my bed and everything. 

July 4cth. — No sentries asleep last night. Nearly 



80 



STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 



l^?^'. all hands digging ditch again. Munichandi very muti- 
Yambuya ^^^^? 1^^^^ afterwards repentant. Finished plantains. 
Dinner simpler than ever. Went round sentries. 

July bth. — Eahani Wadi Serurn, a Zanzibari, died 
last night; he had been ill for a long time. All 
morning at ditch. An extraordinary flight of butterflies 
passed over the camp all the afternoon, the same common 
white ones that I noticed in large flights on the Congo. 
This lot flew from north to south as straight as the 
compass could point. The damp in my house is very 



^^^, ''""''%, f; 





> 



Rapids, feom the Camp. 



bad, and I fear some of the things will come to grief, 
although I have done all I could think of to remedy it. 
How I will bless the day when I get a little time for 
collecting and drawing ! But it seems far off still. 

July 6th. — Two sentries who deserted their post last 
night were flogged this morning. It is sickening, this 
continual flogging, but there is no help for it. Nearly all 



DIARY, 81 

hands at ditch again. If the men would only show a 
little more spirit, and work less reluctantly, it would 
make it much easier for Barttelot and myself. The same 
curious flight of white butterflies is still going on. Had 
a new cook-house built this afternoon ; of course there 
is nothing to cook in it. I succeeded in buying a small 
fish cut in half from one of the boys to-day for two 
matakas, and gave him one for himself. Famine prices. 
It turned out to be the same fish exactly as those we 
used to catch in the rivers running into the Zambesi, 
with teeth outside the jaws, of which I have one stuffed 
at home I heard Matajabu holding an animated con- 
versation with some of the men to-day, and asked him 
what it was about. He told me that the men said they 
knew why the place was being made so strong : Mr. 
Stanley was going to sell it to the Belgians for two or 
three hundred pounds, for a new station, as it could not 
be for us only, for our guns were quite enough without 
the boma and trench to keep off the natives. It gave 
me a real good laugh, the first I have had for some 
time. 

July 7th. — ^Went the rounds last night. No sentries 
asleep, so no flogging this morning, thank goodness. 
At the trench all morning. I succeeded in shooting a 
pigeon, which was unlucky enough to come near where 
we were digging, and Matajabu bought three small 
fish, so we had quite a day of it in the eating-line — fish 
for lunch, pigeon for dinner — though of course that ass 
of a cook kept the best fish for dinner, and it smelt so, 
having been left all day in the sun, that we nearly left 
the house when it came in. Edi, one of the little 
donkey-boys, died this afternoon ; he had been ill for 
some time, and I had given him medicine, but he had 
been on parade every morning. We let the men off 
work an hour earlier than usual to go and get manioc. 
No signs yet of Tippu-Tib's people. No chance of 
collecting yet, for one cannot leave the men for a 
moment ; the chiefs are perfectly useless. 

July Sth. — Another morning without any flogging, 



82 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

and another day at the ditch ! A native came who told 
us that they wanted to buy the canoes which we had 
seized when occupying the village, and that they were 
ready to pay for them in chickens, goats, and plantains. 
We told him we would let them- have one, but that 
they must first produce the payment. This he said he 
was willing to do. He then told us he had a lot of 
plantains with him in his canoe, and if Matajabu would 
go with him, he might bring them back to camp. But 
unfortunately a number of Zanzibaris ran out with 
matakas, and, although Matajabu told them that the 
plantains were for us, they made the natives sell them 
to them. T was very angry at this, and when the men 
paraded at 1.15 I told them that when my boy was 
sent by the Major and myself to buy — especially in a 
case like this, when the natives had already promised 
the plantains to us — he should have the first chance of 
buying, and if prevented, I would shut the gates in 
future whenever a canoe came, and not let a man out 
until we had got what we wanted. Great beating of 
drums to-night in all the villages round. Ten canoes 
passed up the other side to-day, to the natives camped 
there. 

July 9th. — The sentries, I am glad to say, are now 
keeping awake. Finished the ditch to-day. Major 
Barttelot still seedy. No sign of the native who was to 
buy the canoe with goats and chickens ; but in the 
morning a native — evidently a man of position — came 
into camp, and had a palaver with Barttelot and myself. 
He wished to know whether he could take any quantity 
of manioc, and re-occupy the village next this one. 
He said that, if allowed, he would bring us plenty of 
chickens, the price of each being iiYe matakas. This is 
the price they ask for a chicken hardly fledged. After 
a lot of palaver, we told him that our terms were these — 
that he should bring us two goats, and we would give 
him a present, that he could then take the manioc in 
peace, and we would talk about the occupation of the 
village, and further that we should certainly not give 



July 9. 
Yambuya 



DIABT. 83 

five matakas for any fowl. If he did not do this, we j^^^^^.^ 
told him we should take steps to stop their getting any 
manioc at all. As things are now, they come across to 
the villages above us at all times in the day, and carry 
away enormous quantities to the other side. He finally 
said he would return in the evening with the two goats. 
He has, however, not turned up, so I am going to show 
them that we are in earnest to-morrow morning, by taking 
twenty-five of the Soudanese with me, and stopping all 
the river-paths to the manioc fields. I will try and capture 
a woman, and then they will come to terms I think. 
For the last two or three days there have been a number 
of large canoes coming up river to join them, and I 
think it looks like mischief, but we are now prepared 
for them. The wind was from the north again to-day, 
and the flight of those white butterflies in the afternoon 
was so dense as to resemble drifting snow. 

July 10th. — I had a most delightful day, for instead 
of digging the ditch I was out all day. I had deter* 
mined to begin collecting to-day in the natural-history 
line, and succeeded in a much larger way than I 
intended, by collecting two native women, one baby, 
and a boy. After an inspection of rifles at 6 a.m., I 
started off with twenty-three Soudanese to stop the 
natives taking manioc, and to try and catch women. 
However no natives ventured near, so we returned to 
camp. After lunch the Soudanese reported that two 
canoes were made fast to the bank at some distance 
above camp, and that the natives had gone for manioc. 
Major Barttelot asked me to take ten of his men, and 
to go and try to catch them. I went off, but found 
only one canoe. I went up about ten yards from it to 
place my men in the paths leading to the fields, when a 
woman and two men jumped out of the grass where we 
had been standing a moment before, and, bolting down 
the bank into the canoe, they got clean off. We must 
have been standing almost on the top of them ! We 
looked dreadfully foolish, for we had been thoroughly 
sold, and I was disgusted at the idea of going back to 

g2 



84 



STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 



1887. 
July 10. 

Yambuya. 



camp and telling this to Barttelot. Meanwhile I had 
noticed a great number of very large canoes crossing to 
our side, far up the river, just beneath the upper rapids. 
Knowing there must be a large gathering of natives 
there, and having so few men with me, I at first hesi- 
tated about going up ; but remembering what a sudden 
dash might do, when not expected, I started up the 
path. We pretty soon came to large manioc planta- 
tions, and the noise of the rapids told us we were close 
to them. The path took a sudden turn down to the 
water's edge, and there lay a very large canoe with only 



^54> 




one man in it ; he tried to push ofi, but we made a 
dash at it, seized the end, and he jumped overboard. 
He made a great noise, and I hid my men on the path 
close to the canoe. Presently down came a woman 
with a load of manioc, looking about her on every side, 
as she had evidently heard the noise. We let her come 
quite close, then made a dash, and caught her. We 
tied her up and waited, when along came another 
woman with a baby. We caught her too, but she 



DIARY. 85 

screamed fearfully, and I thought she would bring a < 1887. 
perfect hornets' nest about us; but the noise of the /^ 
rapids drowned her voice. In the meantime there were 
now ^YQ men and two boys standing up to their necks 
in the water, as we had got between them and the 
canoe. The Soudanese officer advanced to the edge of 
the water, and, pointing his gun at one of the boys, 
he swore he would shoot him if he did not come out. 
He came out, and we promptly collared him, tied the 
two women together, and went off at the double for 




camp. We passed a great number of canoes full of 
natives, close to the bank, who, when they saw our 
prisoners, started off at once for their villages across 
river. Major Barttelot was delighted when I returned 
with the captives. He sent the boy away to his village 
to tell the chief that he would only give up the women 
for goats and fowls, and that he must come and have a 
palaver himself, as his people had not fulfilled their 
promises to us, for which reason we had taken the 
women. We gave the little chap four matakas for 
himself. He had hardly gone, when we observed a 
canoe coming down river straight for camp, and the 
enraged husband of the woman with the picaninny 
arrived. Luckily he turned out to be the same man who 
was here yesterday, and who had broken his promise of 
bringing us fowls and goats. He now assured us he 
would bring us five goats and ten fowls for his wife and 
baby, if he might take them away. We told him that 



86 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 

jij^'^io ^^^ ^^ kept his former promises the women would not 
Tambuya ^^"^^ been taken, that the moment ten goats, twenty 
chickens, and some honey for the baby were brought 
over, the two women and the child would be given back 
at once. He promised to come to-morrow morning 
without fail, and left camp quite gaily, shaking hands 
with everyone all round. This will bring things to a 
definite issue, either peace and trade, or war. The 
two surviving cheeping chickens were slaughtered for 
our Sunday dinner, and an excellent little stew they 
made — the first bit of meat we have had for a good 
many days, and oh such a small bit ! 

July 11th. — After breakfast the native arrived to 
palaver about his wife. He brought one fowl and some 
fish to show that he was in earnest. We allowed him 
to see the women and the baby. He said the chief 
was up the river somewhere. I then went off to look 
after the men cutting poles, taking my small gun and 
butterfly-net with me ; so the collecting has begun at 
last ! The butterflies are rather disappointing, as there 
are not many different from those on the Congo, nor as 
large a variety. Returned at 11.45, and found Barttelot 
had been palavering nearly all morning with the native 
about his wife, and was very sick of it. He arrived 
again after lunch, but refused to come into camp. I 
went out with the men again, and heard tremendous 
shouting amongst them ; and found that the natives 
had seized Omari, one of the donkey-boys, and taken 
him across the river. He had strict orders not to go 
out of sight of the camp ; but he left the donkeys, and 
went to the next village where the natives sell fish, 
and there they seized him ; so he has only himself to 
blame for it. If the gentleman comes about his wife 
to-morrow, he will find himself tied up, and told he 
will be shot if Omari is not given up. I am sure they 
had not meant to capture any of our men, as they had 
a dozen fowls and a goat in the canoe, which they were 
bringing as part ransom for the woman. On seeing 
Omari, the sudden idea must have entered their heads 



DIART. 87 

to take him prisoner. Barttelot is suffering firom a t^i^\\ 
kind of low fever. At present our situation with the YeLh^ 
natives is this : — we have two fowls and some fish, two 
women and a baby ; the natives have got Omari. I hope 
things will be straightened out a little to-morrow. 
Visited sentries last night as usual. 

July 12th. — Gave orders this morning that no man 
is to leave camp without an order from Barttelot or 
myself, nor without a rifle. One of the Somalis died 
to-day ; he has been ill for a long time, and had almost 
entirely lost the use of his legs. Barttelot still seedy ; 
he eats simply nothing. Certainly plain boiled rice 
and musty beans do not encourage a weak appetite. 

July ISth. — After parade sent the men to continue 
clearing the river-bank, and to deepen the ditch at both 
ends where it joins the boma. At the end next the 
spring the bottom of the ditch is stone, and the men 
have regularly to quarry it. They have built a wall 
across the end, which would be quite a respectable one, 
even in Ireland. The natives have made no signs of 
coming to terms. I shot a small bird, black, with white 
spots on the wings, which is quite new to me. After 
lunch had a tremendous time amongst my collections, 
drying them in the sun. Killed one of the chickens, 
and ate it stewed in rice for dinner. A little bit of 
meat like this is a great godsend, but I manage to 
thrive wonderfully on rice and beans. I proposed 
to-day that one of us ought to take Matajabu and some 
of the Soudanese to-morrow to the place where the 
natives land for manioc, and, hiding the men, see if 
Matajabu cannot get them to have a palaver. 

July Uth. — Had to begin the day by flogging a 
sentry, whom I caught so sound asleep that I had to 
strike kim three times with a stick before he awoke. 
To this class of men we have to trust ourselves at 
night ! Major Barttelot took Matajabu and some of the 
Soudanese to palaver with the natives. They proposed 
to give back Omari and six fowls for the women ; but 



88 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 

1887. Barttelot told them if they did not bring Omari, five 
Tambu g^ats, and twenty fowls, the women would cease to 
exist. They came in the afternoon, and asked to see 
the women, thinking we had already killed them. We 
allowed the women to go just outside the gate. The 
husband stood about 150 yards off; and the conversation 
was kept up by screaming and shouting, the women 
telling the men they were fools, and calling them bad 
names for not bringing the fowls and goats, and freeing 
them. The husband then brought six fowls and a kid 
as an instalment of the ransom. Omari, who was in 
the canoe, says the kid is the only one in the village ; 
he tells us they treat him very well. 

July Ibth. — Began to-day to cut w^ood for the 
Stanley. We have only ^Ye axes, three of which are 
almost useless ; so it promises to be a long business, for 
we have to cut wood for ten days. The natives came 
again with a few more fowls, and a promise to get ^yq 
goats from a village lower down the river. They asked 
first for the baby, then for the mother ; but were told 
that when they brought the ransom they would get them. 
Just before returning to camp this afternoon I heard the 
natives making a fearful noise, and then two shots were 
fired. I was certain it must be Tippu-Tib's people 
arriving ; but on getting into camp I found a very dif- 
ferent state of affairs. It appears that the two Sou- 
danese guarding the women had taken them down to 
the river to wash. When their backs were turned, the 
women jumped into the river. The one without the 
baby was caught, and Omaha, one of the Soudanese 
officers, and another man jumped in and swam after the 
other ; they caught her, but were surrounded by canoes 
with armed natives in them, and were obliged to let her 
go. A number of the Soudanese had run down the 
bank after them, and fired two shots at the canoes, but 
without any effect. All our chances of goats and fowls 
are gone, I fear, as the natives do not seem to care a 
bit about the other woman, — and they have got Omari. 
rhe position now is: — we have got eight fowls, a kid, 



July 16. 
Yambuya 



DIARY. 89 

some fish, and one woman ; the natives have got back a ^}^\\ 
woman and the baby, and still have Omari : so I should 
say the balance is in their favour. Major Barttelot is a 
little better to-day, as I have persuaded him to take 
some Liebig and sago, for he cannot eat the rice and 
beans. 

July IQth. — Whilst out with the men this morning I 
shot a w^oodpecker and a very pretty bird, which I 
believe to be a redstart or some species of warbler. 
Matajabu has succeeded in making a very good skin 
of it. On return to camp, I found Omari had effected 
his escape from the natives, and reached camp. It 
appears that last night they forgot to tie him up as 
usual, and he got into a canoe and came down river. 
He was followed, and did not reach this side until far 
below the camp at the big native village. His pursuers 
shouted out to the men on shore to catch him; 
but he got into the water amongst the bushes at the 
side of the river, and managed to elude them, getting 
back to camp all safe. It was a very plucky thing for 
a small boy like himself to do. He says the natives 
treated him well, and that w^hen the woman and the 
child got back, the chief told his men to seize any of 
our men they could. The husband of the woman 
whom we still have came to-day, and offered to ransom 
her. He says that they wish to re-occupy the villages 
up river. Major Barttelot says he will certainly 
not allow them to do so, as they are much safer 
on ihe other side. He believes the man who came 
over to-day had leprosy, and he got rid of him as 
quickly as possible. The position is now altered with 
regard to ourselves and the natives. They have got one 
woman and the baby back. We have got Omari back, 
still have one woman, one kid, eight or nine fowls, and 
some fish ; so I think the balance is now in our favour. 
A tremendous thunderstorm came on to-night, and my 
house is flooded and my bed wet. I had no time 
to-day to put the tarpaulin on the roof. The smell 
from the wet rotten grass on it is frightful, and I 
should say anything but healthy. 



90 STOBY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

j\^^'i7 *^^^y ^^^^^^ Sunday, — Awoke at 5 o'clock, to find it 
Yambu a ^^i^^^g away steadily. It cleared up, however, before 
7, and we sent the men off to clear the rest of the 
village. Shortly after 10 o'clock down came the rain 
again ; and we knocked the men ofi" work for the day, 
as it was pay-day, and a half-holiday in any case. Just 
as we were finishing our usual repast of rice and beans 
at mid-day, the leprous native arrived with two others, 
and brought a fair-sized goat, which we took, giving 
him back the woman. Great rejoicings took place 
amongst the natives; and I do hope they will come and 
trade after this. Spent most of my day in etching, and 
writing out a new store-book, lists of men, rations 
issued, &c. Our position with the natives now is : — 
we have got two goats, nine fowls, and some fish, with 
a promise that they will trade ; and they have got back 
both their women and the baby. 

Juli/ ISfh. — Had to fiog a sentry this morning. 
Caught him sound asleep at 4 a.m. Major Barttelot 
and 1 still take turns in going the rounds. My hours 
for going the rounds are — a little after 8 p.m. with 
Barttelot, then alone at 11, 2, and 4. It is wonderful 
how one wakes every night within a quarter of an hour 
of the hours without being called. The big drum is 
sounded at 5 o'clock, the men fall in at 5.30, and are 
all started off to work before 6 o'clock. Went off 
woodcutting again, also cutting poles for Barttelot's 
new house. The dews are so heavy here at night that 
in going through the bush and manioc plantations one 
gets soaked, and has to dry gradually as the sun gets 
up. Shot a black and white finch, and a very handsome 
pair of birds, with beaks like barbets. I also got a 
lovely warbler that I have never seen before, olive- 
green in colour, with grey breast and yellow spots on 
the wings, and a yellow line over the eyes. I took out 
my birds' skins to give them a drying in the sun, when, 
to my horror, I found a number of small black-beetles 
(grey underneath), hard at work eating them. How 
they got into my tin box is a mystery to me. They 



DIARY, 91 

have damaged several skins, "bad luck to them," and ^f^'^- 
are the same kind that used to eat our antelope skins y^^u 
in South Afirica. I shall now only use the arsenical 
soap I bought at Zanzibar. One soldier managed to 
buy a little fish to-day. 

July 19th. — It is hopeless to send the men out with 
any of the muniaparas (chiefs), as they sit down and 
let the men do just as they like ; the consequence is 
that from 6 a.m. until after 11 in the forenoon, and 
from 1.30 until after 5 p.m., I have to do nothing but 
stand over them and make them work. It is a wretched 
way to spend one's time. It is only by sitting up at 
night, and on the Sunday half-holiday, that I get any 
time to do anything. I have now 25 birds' skins, and 
this morning added some lovely specimens to my 
butterfly collection. Spread two tarpaulins over the 
roof of my house, hoping to prevent the rain from 
flooding it as the last did. The Major's house is now 
in an advanced state, as nearly all the framework is up. 
Fared sumptuously to-day, lunching ofl" a stewed pigeon 
and dining off a stewed chicken. There has been no 
trading with the natives. The rats are getting very 
numerous in my house, and I must begin to shoot 
them, or, if I get the time, make a trap. They fight 
and scamper about across the floor and over the boxes 
without taking the slightest notice of anyone. 

July 20th. — Spent the whole day with the men 
cutting and carrying wood. I took my painting 
things out with me in the hopes that I might be able 
to get a few sketches of some of the principal trees ; 
but what with looking after the men, and my dramng 
being visited (whilst wet) by every known species of 
insect, I found it a very hopeless task. The moment 
that you move a few yards from the men they stop 
cutting, and when you shout at them to show that you 
are quite close, they cut a few strokes, stop, and wait 
until you shout again ; then at last you fling down 
everything in a rage, rush at them, swear, threaten and 
" cuss " the chief as well as the men, then go back to find 



92 STOET OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

Juiy^2b. ^ your things one mass of ants, and that the men have 
Yambuya. Stopped Cutting again, when you give it up, and go and 
sit down on a log beside them. Of course, if one only 
had a decent chief, things would be very different. Just 
after lunch I heard two shots fired, and found that two 
of the Soudanese stated that they had been surrounded 
by the natives, and had fired. I wish they would shoot 
some one when they do fire, as ever since that woman 
escaped and the Soudanese fired two shots and hit 
nothing — not even a canoe — the natives now swear 
that the guns are harmless. One miserable canoe, 
with some stale fish for sale, was the only sign of trade 
to-day. 

July 21st. — The chief of my men being ill, I could 
not leave them for five minutes all day, so I had a 
really nice time of it. The weather has been lovely 




ever since Mr. Stanley left, broken only by a few 
thunderstorms. The prevailing winds are from the 
westward. "We finished our last plantain to-day, and 
have only two more fowls left, a kid and a goat ; I see 
no chance of getting any more, for the natives do not 
trade, or ofi'er to, in the least. As a last resource we 
must catch some more of their women. 

July 22nd. — Woodcutting without a chief over the 
men is pretty bad when you are well, but when you 



DIABT. 93 

have a racking headache, and are full of rheumatism, it 1887. 

is simply — detestable. So I found it to-day. Major ^"^^^ ^^' 
Barttelot is himself again, I am happy to say. Trade ^^ ^^* 
still stagnant. 

July 23rd. — Some men, I believe they were Zanzi- 
baris, tried to steal our two goats last night, but were 
surprised, and did not succeed, although they managed 
to get away without being identified. The men, both 
Soudanese and Zanzibaris, are in a very discontented, 
mutinous state, and I shall be very glad when either 
Tippu-Tib's people or the steamer arrive. 

July 24:th, Sunday. — Began the day by flogging one 
of the sentries, whom I caught sound asleep last night, 
as early as 8 o'clock. So fast asleep was he that I took 
away his gun from him without awakening him. Half- 
holiday to-day, so the men only worked till 11.30. 
The Major went down river on an exploring trip. 
He brought back some delicious ripe bananas. We 
killed the small goat this morning, and the consequence 
is, we have simply feasted like kings. In a conver- 
sation after dinner, Barttelot and I came to the con- 
clusion that, in all the countries we have been to, we 
have never seen any place so utterly devoid of all sport 
as this. There is not a game-bird of any kind, and I 
have only once seen the tracks of a wild pig. He came 
back to-day quite delighted because he had found a lot 
of salt for his men in the village they visited ; but 
when one of the men — having, I suppose, tried it — 
brought some of it up to my house, I told the Major 
what it really was — gum-copal. 

July 2bth. — Barttelot caught one of my men asleep 
last night, and took his rifle away, without awakening 
him, to his tent. This morning I asked him where his 
rifle was, when Barttelot was standing beside me on 
parade. The man coolly said some Zanzibari had stolen 
it, and described his dress, and was greatly astonished 
when the Major told him it was in his tent. As the 
man was only a poor half-demented sort of creature, 



94 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

Juiy^25. who, as I told my chief, ought never to have been on 
Yambuva. g^^rd, I Only gave him six light strokes with a cane for 
form's sake. I think the Zanzibaris are quite the most 
barefaced liars I ever met in my life. One night I took 
a rifle from one of the sentries who was asleep, and 
brought it to my house, leaving it against a palm at the 
door. I went back and woke up the sentry, asking him 
where his gun was. He at once took hold of the other 
man's gun, and said that was his. I told him to come 
mth me, and that I would show him where it was, 
which I did, and he then calmly told me, oh yes, he 
had left it there, and making a sign with his finger 
across his throat, said I might cut it if he had been 
asleep. He found out, however, who had taken it when 
he got his 25 strokes in the morning. It is really a 
great shame the state our biscuits are in ; we opened a 
fresh box to-day, one of the tin-lined ones, and the 
water had got in so that the biscuits were a mass of 
blue mould, weevils, and small maggots. The only 
way we can eat them is by roasting them in the 
hot embers or in the frying-pan, which kills the " bastes.*' 
I have no doubt that they are more nourishing with the 
quantity of animal matter in them, but we prefer them 
without. 

July 26th. — Shot a sandpiper with ruffs on the neck. 
The country was frightfully wet, so Major Barttelot did 
not go on his usual exploring expedition. After lunch, 
I made a sketch of him seated on the old drum opposite 
my door, with all its surroundings. I cannot believe 
this to be so large a river as is supposed, for last night's 
rain, though apparently local, was sufficient to raise the 
river at the very least two feet, and from the highest 
rapids down as far as we could see was a smooth un- 
broken sheet of water. Yesterday there were three 
distinct bars of broken water across the river, in some 
of which the rocks were showing. This rapid rise takes 
place whenever we have any heavy rain, and the river 
falls with equal rapidity. A terrible calamity happened 
to-day. The uncooked piece of the goat which was 



DIARY, 95 

hung up last night, being affected by the thunderstorm, j^^2Q 
I suppose, took it into its head to go bad, and so we Yambuya, 
have only one small scrap left for to-morrow, and meat 
is very, very precious. 

Juli/ 27th. — Shot one pigeon, two woodpeckers, and 
a swallow. The men were greatly astonished at my 
shooting the swallow. He was flying very high and 
fast, and coming straight at me ; he fell yards behind 
my back, amidst all sorts of exclamations! We are 
down again on rice and beans, very wholesome, but 
not appetizing ! 

July 2Sth. — The men still splitting wood, and I make 
them work in relays, so that none of them are idle all 
day. One of the Zanzibaris died to-day, a poor miser- 
able little man, whom I always thought half-witted. 
We bought some honey to-day, and opened a tin of 
butter, half a teaspoonful of which, added to the rice 
and beans, makes them slip down in a way they never 
did before. Did a little etching, wrote a lot of pages 
for home consumption, and had out all the birds. I 
have a busy time of it, but life is very much pleasanter 
than it was. 

July 29th. — ^Poor old Derrier Moussa, a Somali, who 
has been our cook for the greater part of our journey, 
died to-day. He has been ill for a long time. It is 
horrible to watch these men slowly dying before your 
face, and not be able to do anything for them. The 
moment a man falls really ill with dysentery, or any 
other affection of the stomach, he slowly wastes away, 
becoming a living skeleton, sometimes lingering for 
weeks before he finally goes out. Shot a woodpecker 
and a weaver-bird ; the latter of the bright rich golden 
kind, with black neck and throat. 

July 30th. — Had a bad night to go round the sentries, 
for shortly after 11 p.m. it commenced to thunder, blow, 
and rain in torrents, continuing until 5 a.m. Barttelot 
started with 20 Soudanese for a big village down river, 
but he found the natives had bolted, taking everything 



96 



STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN, 



1887. 
July 30. 

Yambuya. 



with them, so our visions of goats and fowls are dis- 
pelled. I shot a swift with a curious spined tail, each 
feather of which ends in a short bare point like a needle. 
I also got a large, handsome, black-and- orange weaver- 
bird, and the hen of the spur-winged plover. 

July 31si^, Sunday. — Shot a nightjar, with which I 
was quite elated, as it is. the first I have seen here, and 
was a very difficult snap-shot, flying very fast through a 
lot of high manioc. 




XC^u<J-. \W'. 



w 

PU 



CHAPTER V. 

July 27th to December 31s r. 

Letter to Mrs. Jameson. — No news of Tippu-Tib. — Promise to protect natives. 
— Reported arrival of Tippii's men. — Return of deserter from Stanley's 
party. — His statement. — Arrival of the Stanley. — Raid on the natives by 
Tippu-Tib's people. — Final departure of the Stanley. — First visit of Tippu- 
Tib's Arabs to Yambuya Camp. — ^Bonny crosses river to native village. — 
Abdullah punished for stealing an axe. — Jameson and Ward start for 
Stanley Falls. — Natives offer to make them princes. — Yalisula. — Arrival 
at the Falls. — Received by Tippu-Tib. — He explains non-arrival of men. 
— ^Native wrestling-match. — Jameson makes Tippu present of big rifle. 
— Return to Yambuya. — Soudanese punished for theft. — Selim bin 
Mahommed. — Arabs shoot down natives. — Disappointing news from 
Tippu-Tib. — Rumours of Stanley's return. — Barttelot and Troup start 
for Falls. — A man possessed by a devil. — Deserter's story. — Bonny's 
surgical skill. — The Major returns. — Omaha. — Report of a white man 
coming down river. — Fresh disappointment. — Jaundice. — Arabs try to 
prevent trade with natives. — ^Burgari Mahommed steals meat from 
Ward's house. — Living skeletons. — Three dreams. — Ungungu captured 
by Arabs. — Christmas Day. — ^Fresh trouble between Arabs and natives. 

EXTRACTS FROM A LETTER TO MRS. JAMESON. 

July 27(^^,1887. — ... It is just a month since Mr. 1887.^ 
Stanley left us here. Tippu-Tib's men have not yet ^'"^^ '^'* 
arrived, and v^e are both very anxious about them, for ^^°^^"^^ 
should they not turn up we shall have to wait here until 
Mr. Stanley comes back from Lake Albert Nyanza, and 
goodness knows when that may be, perhaps not until 
November. The men are mutinous enough already, and I 
do not like to think of what they will be like before then. 
I must make a little sketch-map of the Camp for you. 

August 1st. — I am so thankful that I have a taste for 
collecting, etching, and things of that kind, for had I 
not I don't know how I could possibly exist here. 
Now that the t^hole of the fortifications are finished, 

h2 



100 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

1887. there is nothing to be done but cut wood for the 
Y^^bu a steamer. I manage to enliven that work by taking my 
collecting-gun and butterfly-net with me, and generally 
manage to pick up something. All my spare time in 
camp is taken up with skinning, attending to collec- 
tions, drawing and ^vriting, so that it is very seldom I 
have a single idle moment. Barttelot does none of 
these things, so I am afraid he often finds me a poor 
companion, and the time falls rather heavily on his 
hands, although he is a most active man, and always 
wants to be busy at something. I don't think Stanley 
could have left a better man here in command. The 
natives have deserted all the villages for miles round, 
and gone over to the other side of the river, unfortu- 
nately taking all their goats and chickens with them. 
So there is no loot of any kind, although we continually 
make long excursions, seeking what we may devour. 
We sometimes come suddenly upon a large village and 
find not a living thing in it, although the fires are still 
smoking, and it has evidently been full of life only a 
few minutes before. How they know we are coming 
often puzzles me. I have got about half a dozen nice 
spears, two fine shields, and four very fine battle-knives, 
which will make a nice addition to our collection. 

August ?>rd, — I will now tell you something about 
our entrenched camp and its surroundings. As you 
will see in the plan, it is shaped in a sort of triangle, 
the river forming one side, a natural ravine and part of 
a ditch another, and the rest of the ditch the third. 
Our chief defence is a strong palisade surrounding the 
whole camp, composed of strong poles placed close 
together, about 3 feet deep in the ground, and 10 feet 
high, with long horizontal bars fastened along it. 
There are only two gates. The main gate, D, looks up 
the river over a large flat clearing where the rest of the 
village originally stood. The other gate, E, is at the top 
of the steep path down to the river, the bank of which 
can only be ascended at this one point ; there is another 
opening in the palisade down to the spring C. The 
ditch is 10 feet from the palisade, 7 feet wide, and 
4^ deep ; so that the place is pretty strongly fortified 



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DIARY. 103 

against natives without guns. The places you see a^^^'^'-o 
marked " Clearing " were all originally dense bush, ya'mbu a 
which we cut down and carried away, so as to see 
anyone attacking from that side. Inside the camp are 
four raised platforms, to hold six men, each of which 
commands a long range on every side, and can sweep 
the ditch and ravine up and down. The camp is not 
over 50 yards wide at its broadest part, and about 150 
to 200 yards long. The river here is from 600 to 700 
yards wide. In my plan you will see that the camp is 
drawn on a much larger scale than any of its sur- 
roundings ; this I did to give you a better idea of what 
it is like. All the natives who inhabited the places 
you see marked " Old village cleared " have gone over 
to the other side of the river, and formed one immense 
village, where you will see it marked just under the 
upper rapids. The road Stanley has taken to the Lake, 
and the one we hope soon to be travelling, is an old 
native path going from village to village up the river, 
and leading nearly due east. 

August btJi. — Barttelot and I sat on after dinner 
to-night talking of home and old times. These chats 
cheer us both up immensely. 1 am so glad that he 
and I pull so well together, for if we did not, life here 
would be unbearable. I wonder how he guessed we 
should do so well together ; for he asked Stanley espe- 
cially to leave me with him. I cannot help still feeling 
terribly disappointed at not having gone on ; but I try 
to think of it as little as possible, and make myself as 
useful as I can here. After leaving for the Lake, I do 
not care if I never have time to collect a single thing, 
as every step will be one nearer home. ... It will be 
wonderfully interesting marching through that new 
country. 

DIARY (continued), 

August Ist. — Bank holiday in England, but not re- 
cognized on the Aruwimi river. Barttelot went out 
with the men woodcutting, so that I had a great time 
amongst my birds and butterflies, and also found time to 
etch one of the giants of the forest here. The natives 



104 STOBY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

AuTt'i ^^^^ heard that Tippu-Tib's people are on their way 
Pambua' ^^^^? wMch is joyful news for us, but as these natives 
are the same as those who killed a lot of his people some 
time ago, they believe that the men are not coming to 
us, but to revenge themselves upon them, so they say 
that they will remain on the other side of the river, and 
bring us no more fish or honey. If this news be true, 
it is a splendid thing for us, as we shall be able to start 
for the Lake almost immediately after the arrival of the 
Stanley. We are beginning to have a little too much 
of rice and beans, and each time we pass the goat, still 
in camp, our glances have a terrible look of hunger in 
them, and I don't think he will survive another day or 
two. 

August 2nd. — ^No more news of Tippu-Tib, but the 
natives will not trade. A lot of black weaver-birds 
have made a colony in the palms over my house, and 
have stripped all the other palms, far and near, of their 
leaves, for the nests. It is very interesting to watch 
them building their nests. They tear a long thin slip 
off a palm leaf, hold it tight to the side of the nest with 
one foot, take hold of the loose end in the beak, push 
it through a small hole in the side, pull it out through 
another, and make it fast, using the unemployed foot 
as well as the beak the whole time, regularly weaving 
the strip of leaf in and out in a wonderful manner. 

August ?>rd. — Last night I caught two of the men 
asleep on sentry duty. This morning, on parade, I told 
one of them that, as I had never caught him before and 
he had had a hard day's woodcutting, I would let him 
off with a caution; but he at once proceeded to say 
that he had not been asleep at all, and had been 
sitting up awake. When I caught him, he was lying 
on the ground at full length, and I gave him two 
kicks before he even stirred. However, he persisted 
in the lie, and I ordered him twenty-five, at the 
same time explaining it was for the lie he was 
flogged. Taking thirty men with me I went to the big 
village down river, where Barttelot had been about 
a week ago, and on our way we passed a strongly 



DIARY, 105 

stockaded village, the gate of which had been newly ^^^^^T'o 
blocked up. We had to climb over and cut it away from yambu a 
inside. Some of the huts here were most beautiful, quite 
works of art. I have not seen any like them ; they are 
very low, their walls about 4 ft. high, perfectly circular, 
ending in a dome-shaped roof. I am going back to 
make sketches of them. The large village we found to 
be deserted. The natives here place a number of small 
sharp spikes of very hard wood round their huts, and 
in the paths ; the points stick up, and are calculated to 
give very nasty wounds to bare feet. We found that 
all the people were encamped on the opposite side of 
the river, and when they saw us they set up the most 
hideous noise, yelling, beating drums, and blowing large 
horns. As they did not attempt to attack us, we pro- 
ceeded to gather quantities of corn, bananas, plantains, 
and tobacco, all the men returning to camp well 
loaded. On my arrival in camp, in the absence of Major 
Barttelot, I interviewed a native, who informed me that 
a number of Zanzibaris were coming down the river in 
canoes, and had fought the natives, and burnt the village 
above the rapids, where their chief was, in spite of 
their having told them that they were " blood-brothers " 
of Bula Matadi ; and he asked if he might move all 
the people across to the deserted village above camp, 
that we might protect them. I told him I would allow 
him to occupy the deserted village below camp, and 
that then we should be between them and their enemies. 
He fairly shouted with joy. I gave him a small piece 
of cloth, and sent him off to tell his people that we 
would not hurt them, and would try and keep others 
from doing so. I cannot understand Tippu-Tib's people 
coming down the river, unless they struck it far above 
us. They ought to be here to-morrow. 

August Ath. — The natives came and had a palaver 
with Barttelot, telling him that Tippu-Tib's people will 
be here in two days, and again asking for protection. 
They have begun to occupy the villages on this side, 
and are evidently in an awful fright, though they seem 
to have great confidence in us. 



106 



STOBY OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 



^<jA 



iiTn<.\t 




1887. 
August 5. 

Yambuya. 



August bth.—-We at last summoned up sufficient 
courage to kill the goat, in spite of the great uncer- 
tainty as to when we shall get another, but one really 
cannot live altogether on rice and beans, and see a live 
goat walking about, and eating the grass in camp. 
As there was too much meat to use whilst fresh, I cut 
off all from the hind legs into strips, salted it, and hung 
it in the sun to dry. No more news of Tippu-Tib's 
people. One of the Soudanese officers told me that 
there were four Zanzibaris about a mile from camp, 
right at the end of the furthest village, buying stuff 
from the natives. I put on my hat and started off to 
catch them, and found them at the very spot where the 
officer said they were. They were awfully astonished 
when I came upon them ; they had broken every one of 
our rules, they were far from camp without rifles, had 



August 5. 
Yambuya. 



DIARY. 107 

not asked leave to go, and had deliberately left their f^}^^]^; 
work. The officer told me the same four were there 
every day ; each man had ^lyq or six matakas with him, 
and this made me nearly certain the chiefs had sent 
them, although of course they denied it. Some one 
must have given them matakas to go with, for they only 
get one each a week. I was going to have them flogged 
as an example, but Major Barttelot advised me to fine 
them each the amount of matakas they had. This will 
punish whoever gave them the matakas, so I told them 
that I would let them ofip the flogging, and for the next 
five or six weeks would pay them out of their own 
matakas. 

August Qth. — The Major went out in the morning 
with the woodcutters, whilst I looked after camp, 
and the men were employed stacking wood. I dried 
and packed ready for home all my Aruwimi collec- 
tion of butterflies, consisting of just 100 specimens, 
did a little etching, dried the beltong, and went through 
my birds before packing. 1 have had the old flag 
of my company tied to the highest post in the boma, 
that Tippu-Tib's people can make no mistake and 
pass us*. 

August 7th. — After breakfast Barttelot went off with 
some Zanzibaris and Soudanese to a village some dis- 
tance away from the river, and returned with a splendid 
lot of plantains. The natives are evidently still in a great 
fright, as they send all their women every. night down 
to the village below camp, and the men themselves 
sleep on this side of the river, above it. No news of 
Tippu's people ! Hoisted another flag at the river-gate, 
so that no one can very well miss us passing down 

* From letter to Mrs. Jameson, August 6th. — " I do hope Tippu-Tib's 
people will come soon, and then we shall be able to start for the Lakes 
at once, and save some months. Had the wonderful fleet of steamers 
of the King of the Belgians, which Stanley spoke about before leaving 
England, really existed, we could all have gone on to the Lake at one 
time, and saved six weary months, which have been added on to this 
trip." 



108 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

A.JguIt7. ^^® ^^^^^- ^^^ feasting away like kings on the old 
Yambuyl S^^^' We'll miss him when he's gone ! 

August Sth, — Started the men at building a hospital. 

August 9th, — Major Barttelot and I are both decidedly 
seedy. Very bad news to-day, according to which 
the supposed Tippu's men up-river are a body of wan- 
dering Arabs, who are looting and destroying every 
village they come across. This is a dreadful damper to 
us, as we were sure they were Tippu-Tib's men, although 
from the beginning I was puzzled to understand why 
they were coming down the river in canoes. The native 
who came over and told us this returned this afternoon 
with a small pot of palm-oil. He seems to bear us no 
ill-will for having taken his wife and child, but was as 
merry as possible. 

August IQth. — Heard heavy firing up the river in 
the direction of the Arab camp. One of the men 
lost one of the axes to-day. He was going out with 
the rest of the men woodcutting, and stopped just 
outside the boma to sharpen the axe on a large flat 
stone, after which he left it on the side of the road, and 
ran back into camp for a moment to get something. 
On returning he found the axe gone. He says that 
Munichandi and Songoro were close behind him when 
he left it, but they both deny having seen it. I have 
told him that unless it is found he will be fined 25 
dollars. Some of our own men, either Zanzibaris or 
Soudanese, must have stolen it to sell to the natives, 
as they have asked for one several times, and no one 
else but our own men could have stolen it. The Major 
says the best plan will be to stop all the men's matakas 
until it is produced. Saw a couple of rollers hawking 
away from the top of the highest tree near camp. I 
shot them both, and they are different from any I have 
shot in S. Africa. 

August nth. — Told the men this morning on parade 
that not a single mataka would be issued until the axe 
was found and the man who stole it. If this does not 
get it back, nothing will, but there were no signs of it 



DIARY, 109 

this evening. Shot four beautiful bee-eaters and two ^^'^^fJi^ 
shrikes, one black, the other black and white. Found yf^buya 
a very curious small rat or mouse in the ditch with a 
long proboscis like an elephant's trunk. No sign of 
Tippu-Tib's men or the steamer. 

August 12th. — News of Stanley arrived unexpectedly 
to-day. Barttelot and I were standing at the gate, when 
we saw a Zanzibari coming along the up-river road, 
leaning on a stick, very lame. We recognized in him 
one of Stanley's party. Barttelot and I took him to my 
house, and interviewed him. From what he says it 
appears he left Mr. Stanley after they had been march- 
ing for a month, when they reached a large river run- 
ning into the Aruwimi, on this bank, from the south. 
This they had to cross in the boat ; and this man and 
another, being too done up to go on, were left behind, 
Mr. Stanley advising them not to remain in the camp, 
but to go some distance into the bush and wait there 
until they were stronger. The natives speared one of 
them, but this man made his escape, and got back here 
frightfully done up and with very sore feet. The officers 
were all well, but there was great scarcity of food. The 
men had sometimes been four days without food, and 
were so weak that as many as twenty had often to be 
used to carry one section of the boat. It appears that 
one day they succeeded in capturing a large canoe, four 
men, a goat, and some women with babies. They had 
tirst of all shot one man in the canoe. The women ran 
away, and left the babies in the camp, so they were 
drowned in the river. Stairs had to be carried twelve 
days from this camp, so he must have been ill for some 
time. The road is level and all through dense bush. 
They passed many villages, but the majority of the 
manioc was very small, with no roots, so they had to 
eat the green tops. Mr. Stanley put the four natives 
captured in chains, also one of the Soudanese who lost 
his rifle, after giving him 170 strokes with a rod. We 
are going to have a regular examination of the man to- 
morrow, writing doAvn the questions and answers, as 
this news of Stanley is important. 



110 STOBF OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 

. -^^^.^'.Q August l%th. — Yesterday being the first day of grouse- 
Yambu a' shooting, Barttelot and I had serious thoughts of taking 
a whole holiday, but, as the steamer is due, we thought 
it better not to do so. Our friend the native came 
over and offered to take me to where there are buffalo, 
not a day from here. He is very anxious we should 
lend him ten men with rifles to go and take a village 
lower down, where there are goats and chickens, and 
the men of which captured two of his wives some time 
ago. The result of our cross-questioning of the man from 
Stanley's party is this : — It took Mr. Stanley eighteen 
days to reach the river, which they had to cross in a 
boat. The road lies close to the river for two days 
after leaving this camp. All bomas were still standing 
on the road when the man returned. Mr. Stanley made 
a zariba in each village he camped in. Eight men 
were left sick on the road ; one was killed, six were left 
in the bush, the last returned here. No men died on 
the road. Only one skirmish with natives the day they 
left here, at the village where they slept. One man 
was wounded in the forehead with an arrow. In the 
night four natives threw spears behind Mr. Stanley's 
tent. There are six villages in the first two days' 
march ; none between that and the river they had to 
cross. They walked for ^yq days, when the road left 
the river through a swamp. This river was smaller than 
the Aruwimi. Great want of food after the first two 
days. After crossing, Mr. Stanley still appeared to con- 
tinue along the main river. Mr. Stanley still had two 
bags of rice, the other officers none ; but they still had 
biscuit. They only got one goat, and no chickens, on 
the march. They saw no game but elephants, and never 
Tised the Maxim gun. The men were very weak. They 
started each day at daybreak, marched till noon, cooked 
and ate food, then marched until 5 o'clock. The man 
who returned, belonged to Nelson's company, and was 
named Moussa bin Dhama. When they reached the river 
running into this one they saw a canoe with eight men 
in it, and a woman and baby, also a goat. I suppose 
they would not stop, but in any case they were fired 



DIARY. Ill 

upon, and three of the eight men shot. Mr. Stanley |.^^'^\o 
then took the canoe, men, woman, goat, and some pots ylmbu a * 
of palm-oil which were in it. The men wer-e taken 
away by Mr. Stanley as guides, and the woman escaped 
in the night, leaving the baby in the camp. The man 
says that Mr. Stanley ordered it to be thrown in the water 
next morning*. About two days up the river, whilst he 
was lying down, two elephants passed close to him. 
This is the man's account, translated by my boy Mata- 
jabu. 




Matajabu. 

August lith. — The Stanley arrived to-day. About 
11.30 she was sighted coming round the bend, and 1 
don't think anything ever gave me such a thrill of 
pleasure as this news did, for I have looked forward 
most anxiously for her arrival, as she brought us the 
last letters we shall get until we reach Zanzibar. It 
appears that a second time the Expedition was nearly 
wrecked. My letters from home revived all my fading 
spirits, and I went to bed happier than I have been 

* Mr. Stanley published in 'The Times' of Nov. 17th, 1890, the 
statement of Saleh ben Osman, another Zanzibari follower, as reliable 
evidence of atrocities committed by Jameson and Barttelot. — Ed. 



112 



STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 



August 14. 
Yambuya. 



for a long time, after sitting up till three in the morning 
finishing my letter home. 

August lt>fli. — After lunch the natives on the opposite 
shore made a fearful noise, and began going down 
stream as fast as they could. Then we heard shots, and 
on running out with my glasses I saw the smoke still 
hanging in the bushes behind the village, and a number 
of natives swimming in the water. Presently our native 
friend, with a few more, turned up, and said they had 
been attacked by Tippu-Tib's people, and some of their 
women taken. They begged for a white man to be sent 
out to ask the Arabs not to fight them. Lots being 
drawn as to who should go, it fell to Bonny and Ward ; 
and they went over, but could see nothing of the Arabs, 
Avho had decamped. They had killed two men and taken 
some w^omen. 

August 16th. — Hard at work all day packing curios. 
The Captain and Mr. Walker gave us a little help 
towards our stores in the way of some pepper and a few 




Native Drinking-bowls. 



matches, of which we were sadly in want. Ward had 
very bad news to-day, as he saw in one of the papers 
that the steamer in which he had sent home a large 
collection of curios, and all his notes for the last two or 
three years, had been run into and sunk in the Mersey, 



DIARY, 113 

with aU her carffo. It was awfully cold, and rained i^^7. 

1 n J ^ ' August 16 

nearly all day. ^\ 

The Stanley starts at 6 o'clock to-morrow morning. 
She only brought us one goat and some plantains. 
Hard lines, as the Major and I had been dreaming of 
her decks crowded with goats and chickens ! I am 
sending my boy Matajabu back to Leopoldville, as he 
Avould only die on the road, not being strong enough to 
keep up with us, and then the natives would get him. 
He is a great loss to me, as not only was he a capital 
servant, but he could speak the language of the natives, 
and was our interpreter with them and the Zanzibaris, 
and he did all my bird-skinning. 

August 17th. — Settled down to our old work again. 
Started men to cut poles for a mess-house. Opened 
European provisions in order to give out three months' 
rations to Troup, Ward, and Bonny. Barttelot has sent 
three Zanzibaris in a canoe up to the Arab camp to find 
out who they are. We are now fairly cut off from 
the world. We have almost given up hope of Tippu- 
Tib's men, and are akeady talking about how we shall 
employ our time until November. The Stanley left at 
6 A.M. for Leopoldville. 

August ISth. — The Zanzibaris returned with ten of 
the Arabs, who really are Tippu-Tib's men. Their head 
chief and two others came into the house, shook hands, 
and had a long palaver with Major Barttelot and myself. 
It appears that they were sent from the Falls by Tippu- 
Tib to collect men, but, as far as we know of their pro- 
ceedings, it looks far more like collecting slaves and 
ivory. They said that 700 men had started under 
Sheik Hachid to come to us, but that upon arriving at 
a camp on Mr. Stanley's road, where he had left some 
mark, they had concluded that the whole Expedition 
had gone on, and had returned, now being encamped 
on some river between this and the Falls. This Sheik's 
name is Abdullah Coroni, and he offered either to 
send a letter to Tippu-Tib for us, or to escort one of 
us to the Falls, four days from here. After thinking it 

I 



114 STOliY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

1887. -vvell over, and speaking to all of us about it, Major 
u us C5. ]g^j,^^g]^Q^ j^r^g decided to send two of us, and srot the 

Yambuya. ^, ., , . . t . , " 

Sneik s promise to return m two days with twenty men to 
escort us. This, of course, will be our only chance of 
getting the men now, for, if we did not go for the men, 
the chances are that they w^ould be scattered all over 
the country, and we should never see them. I am more 
than glad that Barttelot has decided upon sending me, 
and Ward to accompany me as a witness of the inter- 
view Avith Tippu-Tib. The tramp will be through a 
piece of unknown country, and full of interest. 

While the Arabs were talking with us, I could not 
make out where I had seen one of them before, as I 
seemed to know his face, when it suddenly dawned 
upon me that he bore a wonderful resemblance to 
Florence St. John, the actress. I never saw a more 
remarkable likeness, and Ward, to whom I mentioned 
it, saw it at once. 

Before leaving. Sheik Abdullah promised not to 
molest any of the natives near us. 

August 19th. — The men worked at the mess-house, 
and brought in fire-wood, and cleaned up the camp, a 
daily duty which we look upon as the most important 
one of all. In the afternoon Bonny went over, with the 
chief, to the village on the other side. He says that on 
his arrival the people were tremendously excited and 
pleased at a white man coming over. The men in his 
canoe made a circle with the poles they use for poling 
up the rapids, to keep the crowd back, for the natives 
were even up in all the trees. They made such a noise 
that he could not hear the chiefs speak, but when he rose 
and put up his hand, they were all silent at once. He 
then waved his hand, and they all sat down. He first 
asked them if they were not glad that the white men 
had prevented their being killed by the Arabs, to which 
they all shouted an assent. They then brought a lot 
of leaves from the roof of one of the huts, closely rolled 
together, and made Bonny hold one end, while an old 
chief held the other ; they next gave him a knife and 



August 19 
Yanibuya. 



DIARY. 115 

told him to cut the leaves in two, after which the chief . 1887. 
cut them, when they were dipped in water, with which 
the bystanders were sprinkled. All the people then 
shouted, " We are at peace ! We are at peace ! " 
Bonny told them that we wanted goats and fowls, 
not as presents, but that we would pay for them. 
They said that Tippu-Tib's people had taken all their 
goats, but that they had a village inland where they 
kept all their fowls, and they would bring them. The 
natives made him a present of six fowls, one man 
actually bringing a little chicken with no feathers on, 
saying it was all he had. Bonny gave the chief a piece 
of handkerchief. 

I received my letter of instructions from Major 
Barttelot, and to-morrow I hope to start for the Falls. 

August 20th. — The Arabs never turned up all day, 
much to our disgust. Just as I came out of my bath 
to-night, a large centipede nearly walked right over my 
foot ; this is only one of the many insects of every 
abominable species that infest my house. 

August 21st. — My birthday *, which reminds me that 
I have spent two others in South Africa, and two in 
America, all under canvas, for although this is a wooden 
hut with a grass roof, a tarpaulin covers the whole. 
Some of the Arabs have arrived, the rest come to- 
morrow, under the chief Abdullah, and on the following 
day we begin our march, thank goodness ! They say it 
will take at least six days, and at an ordinary pace 
nine. They brought with them two little dots of 
children, the eldest, I should say, not more than five 
years old, and a small dog, all proceeds, I suppose, of 
their late raid on the natives. 

On the strength of its being my birthday, we opened 
a tin of sardines, and feasted off them with some rice. 

There Avas great grumbling among the men because 
their matakas are still stopped, as they have not given 

* This is a mistake ; his birthday was on the 17th August, the very 
aate upon which he died at Bangala, in the following year, 1888. — Ed. 

i2 



116 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

^/^^"oj Up the man who stole the axe. Deputations both from 
the Soudanese and Zanzibaris waited on us, and at last 



Y'ambuya. 



the Major told them that as they could not find out the 
man who stole it, and as Abdullah was really the cause 
of its being stolen, if by to-morrow morning they had 
all come to the conclusion that he ought to be punished, 
we would give him fifty lashes, and give them their 
matakas. 

August 22nd. — It was decided by all the men that 
Abdullah should be fiogged, and so he was. From the 
quiet way in which he received it, I begin to think that 
he stole the axe himself, or lost it. After lunch, Sheik 
Abdullah arrived with the rest of the Arabs, about thirty 
men in all, including those in camp, and a number of 
native slaves (armed with splendid spears), who are their 
carriers. Sheik Abdullah brought his wife with him,, 
and a very fine fowl, which he gave to Major Barttelot, 
They say there is not the least doubt that we shall get 
the men from Tippu-Tib. The natives with them are 
the most horrible-looking lot I have ever seen, beauti- 
fully tattooed with cuts from a knife, and with their 
upper and lower lips cut into fringes, and their teeth 
filed into points. 

August 2Drd. — Started for the Falls at 7 o'clock. 
For the first two hours our road lay parallel to the 
river, then struck off through the forest. The general 
direction was S.S.W., sometimes due S. A struggle 
took place on the way between some of Tippu-Tib's men 
and the natives fr*om near Yalisula, which was rather 
exciting while it lasted. At one time we heard a 
tremendous noise ahead, and found all hands hunting 
like hounds in a swamp, and they at length returned 
with an old man, a woman, and a child, Avhom they 
made captives, but Sheik Abdullah made them release 
them. Had we not been there, little chance would they 
have had of escape, as the Arabs would have kept the 
woman and child until they were ransomed with ivory 
by the husband. It was pitiable to see the old man 
following his wife and child, although the Arabs did 



DIARY. 



11' 



not want him. It is wonderful what they will pay to 1^87. 
get back their women. Tippu-Tib's men's faces of ^'^g^stsa 
•disgust showed plainly that this was not their ordinary ' s^niey^ 
treatment. The natives buy ivory Avith large pieces of Fails. 
iron shaped like a spear-head, and about six feet long, 
of which ten will buy a good tusk, and should they 
have no ivory they pay the Arabs for their women in 
these iron pieces. For the first part of our road we had 
to walk like tight-rope dancers along immense fallen 
trees, wade numerous swamps and small rivers, after 
which the path lay through splendid open forest, witt 
very fine timber in it. 

August 24:th. — Started at 6 o'clock. The road was 
hilly, and led through the same forest. At one vil- 
lage the natives said we were the first white men they 




"]' 



X^-uj^^kov 



had ever seen, and that they must make us princes, bu't 
they did not do more than produce a pot of malafu. 



118 STOUT OF TEE REAR COLUMN, 

1887. The ceremony is therefore much simpler than in oai 
August 24. country. Fancy the big potentates at home sitting 
^Sniey^ dowu rouud a pot of beer to make two new princes ! 
Falls. Eight or nine Arabs then arrived, some of them great 
men, in the most spotless turbans, of whom Bartho- 
lomew told us that they had hidden all their slaves 
in the bush, being afraid we would come to their 
village, which I quite believe, for when 1 asked them 
where it was they said " Very far, too far to go to," yet 
they had just left it ! 

August 2ofh. — The guides turned up about 6 a.m., 
and we began one of the worst marches I have had for 
a long time. At first the road lay through groves of 
plantains and small villages, until about one o'clock, 
when we entered a large cane-brake intermixed with 
prickly palms and creepers, and of all the roads I ever 
travelled this was the worst. At one moment you were 
caught by the throat and your helmet knocked off ; then, 
having struggled out of that fix, you were next tripped 
up by a creeper, and fell on your nose. We met some 
of Tippu-Tib's people coming from Singatini, who told 
us that Tippu-Tib was going off to see Sheik Rachid at 
the Lumami River in two or three days, so we pushed on, 
doing, I should think, very little short of twenty miles. 
The natives of the last village we passed said that as 
we were the first white men they had ever seen they 
must make us a present, and they started off to get us a 
small dog to eat, which they consider a great delicacy, 
but we had not time to wait for it. About a hundred 
yards from our camping-ground we had to wade waist- 
deep through a river, and as the man with my bag did 
not turn up until long after dark, I had rather a bad 
time of it. Our road lay S.E. nearly all day. We had 
nothing to eat since morning but some mouldy biscuits, 
and dined off the remnants of the cold rice and fowl of 
yesterday. 

August 26th. — Started at 6 a.m., and our road lay for 
some hours through a beautiful open forest, then down 
a steep hill, and along the bed of a river for nearly a 



DIARY. 119 



ISSl 



mile. As our caravan slowly wound its way up the 
silvery bed of the stream, gleams of light fell here and ^^^ 
there, piercing the shadows of the tropical forest. Elver. 

At last, after many steep hills, and having crossed 
one very broad river in a canoe, we suddenly came upon 
a full view of the Congo, and descended into a large 
village called Yalisula, where we changed our wet 
clothes, got into canoes, and went on to Yawami, a 
village higher up the river on the left bank. Here we 
slept in a whitewashed mud house belonging to the Arabs. 
At both villages we were objects of the greatest 
curiosity, especially while changing our things, when 
there was perfect quiet amongst the two or three 
hundred onlookers. The Arabs treated us very kindly, 
making us presents of rice and fish. We marched 
fifteen miles, and came about two miles in the canoes, 
our road again lying S.E. 

Augyst 21th. — Started at 6 o'clock in canoes, and 
after two hours reached Yadzembi, where we changed 
canoes ; in each village the Arabs sent us on with their 
own natives to the next. Those who accompanied us 
from this place were great swells, wearing brass and 
iron wire right up to their elbows ; and their hair was 
dyed bright red with cam-wood. At two o'clock we 
reached a large village on the right-hand bank named 
Yatuka, at which there was a market going on. Sheik 
Abdullah's village is about an hour from here, up a 
small river, and he very much wished us to stay at 
Yatuka for the night, but I insisted on going on at 
once. Opposite this place lies Yarracombi, another of 
Tippu-Tib's villages. After we had started, a terrific 
thunderstorm came on, half filling the canoe with water. 
We went on after dark for a couple of hours, finally 
reaching Tatiacusu, where we stayed for the night. 
The Arabs gave us a fowl, two eggs, and a lot of rice. 
Unfortunately I had had nothing to eat all day but some 
raw chiquanga, with a drink of malafu, and I was so sick 
that I could eat nothing when we did get food. I 
must here say a word for our waterproof bags. Mine had 



120 STOBT OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 

^^^^V ^^^^ lyiiig ^ the evening in a good half-foot of water, 
^Tatia- ' ^^^^^^ ""^^ sitting on the top of it, and yet not a thing 

CU8U. inside it was wet. Ward's things, which were all in a 
waterproof sheet, were soaked through. We slept in 
the verandah of the Arabs' house, surrounded by the 
usual crowd of inquisitive natives. 

August 28^/?..-— Left Tatiacusu at 5.30, and, after 
about three hours in the canoes, reached Atiacusu, where 
we saw no Arabs, but an immense number of natives. 
Here we had to change canoes. There was rather a row 
about poles and men for our canoe, which at one time 
threatened to be serious, but it ended in a slogging 
match with sticks and logs of wood. I was greatly 
amused with Abdullah, who rushed back to our canoe, 
and seized my big revolver, and was going to shoot a 
native with it, with the leather cover on. 

About two hours before coming to the Falls, we 
passed the mouth of the river Wamanga, and further 
on that of the Chopo River, both on the left bank. 
We arrived at the Falls about 5 o'clock. Tippu-Tib 
himself came down to meet us, and conducted us to 
his reception house, where his brother and all his 
officers were assembled. He gave us some delicious 
fried plantains, tea, and coffee, and made Sheik Abd- 
ullah tell him all about our journey, camp, &c. I then 
told him I had a letter for him from Major Barttelot, 
which I would present after we had changed our wet 
clothes. We went to the house he had placed at our 
disposal, where a man presently brought us some 
excellently cooked fowl and rice. We then went down, 
with Bartholomew as interpreter, to present the letter, 
and I told Tippu-Tib that anything in it that he could 
not understand I would explain, as I held a translation 
in English. I used Bartholomew as interpreter, but 
Tippu replied to me each time through Salem, making 
him ask me any questions he had to put. I then gave 
him the revolver from Barttelot, and a knife from 
myself. He thanked me for them, and explained 
the reason for the men promised to us not having 



DIARY, 123 

reached our camp. They started from the Falls with ^^^"00 
Tippu-Tib himself, 500 men for Mr. Stanley, and ^"^ 
with the men paddling the canoes (of which there Fails. 
were fifty), 1,500 in all. Arriving at a small village, 
which must be within half a day of our camp, they 
sent over some men to a large village which lay on 
the opposite bank of the river, to get food. The natives 
all ran away at their approach ; but they had no sooner 
taken fowls and plantains, and were returning to their 
canoes, than the natives, who had been hidden in the 
bush, rushed down and killed four of them, cutting 
them up and dividing the meat on the spot. Tippu-Tib 
attacked the village that evening, and burned it next 
morning. 

By this time all the paddlers in the canoes were 
either sick with fever, or their hands were sore, so they 
had to return. He says Mr. Stanley had told him the 
camp would be at Basoko, or near it, at least not so far 
up the Aruwimi. He then sent 200 men to try and 
find the camp overland, but they returned, saying they 
could not find it. He again sent 200 men under 
Abdullah, with orders not to return until they had 
found it, or Mr. Stanley's road. This is the Abdullah 
who brought us to the Falls, but he must have known 
about our camp long before we sent up to him. Tippu 
then promised to send out to-morrow morning to collect 
as many men as he could, and that after three days, it 
now being their Christmas, he would start himself with 
them for our camp, leaving his brother to send on the 
rest. He asked me if we should start after Mr. Stanley 
with the men he brought with him, leaving some of the 
white officers to bring on the remainder when they 
arrived. I told him I had no authority to say what we 
should do, but that I thought the Major would not 
start at all until he knew definitely how many men there 
would be, or until they were all there. He again 
promised to start in three days, but said he was not 
sure if he should be able to give 100 men, as they were 
now scattered all over the country. This ended the 
conference. 



124 STORY OF THE REAM COLUMN. 

August ''Q ^^^gust l^th. — Was awakened by a boy bringing in a 
Stanley ^^ost delicious breakfast of vermicelli and plantains 
Fails, fried in ghee, followed by a chicken and rice. Aftei 
breakfast Tippu-Tib sent to say he would like to show 
his brother my Winchester and revolver, so I took them 
down to the reception house. After everyone had 
examined them, 1 told Tippu-Tib that, upon reflection, 
I thought it might be better for him to stay here a few 
days longer than the three days he proposed, in order 
that he might collect more men, and gain a definite 
idea of how many men he would be able to give us. 
He seemed rather annoyed at this, and explained that 
his reason for wishing to start in three days is that the 
majority of the men are in villages below the Falls, 
and that by thus going down himself he will have far 
less difficulty in collecting them. This sounded reason- 
able, so I let well alone, and said nothing more. I 
shall now start with him, and when we leave the canoes 
shall send Ward ahead as fast as possible with a 
letter to the Major. After this there was a regular 
reception of about twenty Arab Sheiks, who had come 
to breakfast, and then Tippu asked us if we would 
like to go round the station. We all crossed the river 
to the old Free State Station below the Falls, and 
examined the Krupp guns, and found they still have 
the breech blocks, which were not destroyed as stated 
by Mr. Deane. Then large canoes were summoned 
to take us to the island above the Falls. Here we 
witnessed a great wrestling match between two picked 
men, one from the village we had left, the other 
from the island village, which was a very grand affair. 
In the centre of the main street a space had been 
cleared, and at one end were all the chiefs, athletes, 
and girls of one village, with their champion, and 
opposite them stood the rival party. The two cham- 
pions were splendid-looking men, covered over with 
different coloured clays, these being their distinguishing 
colours. The girls all wore a small piece of cloth in 
front, and a long tail of black palm-fibre, which waved 
about as they danced. Those belonging to the one 



DIARY. 125 

village began the ceremony by dancing, clapping their 1887. 

hands, and singing a wild chant, tannting the opposite "S"^^-' * 

party with being afraid of their champion, upon which the Faiisf 



C "va-m KlOir^ 




others went through the same performance. Finally the 
champions came forward, and after many attempts at 
getting fair grips they closed, and after a short wrestle, 
in which neither got a fall, they parted amidst tremendous 
uproar. All the girls of both parties then danced up and 
down the centre. Before the men began to wrestle, old 
women came and spat on them and jeered at them, evi- 
dently for the purpose of arousing their courage. There 
was also great running up and doAvn of magnificently 
attired chiefs, with small brooms in their hands, to clear 
the arena. The wrestlers came out again, but this time 
there were so many disputes about the grips that finally 
the party from the mainland led off their man altogether. 
These disputes often end in blows, and sometimes in 
bloodshed. We then rejoined Tippu-Tib, and crossed 
to the other island above the Falls, to see a tree which 
was considered a great marvel. It had lain on the 
ground for a long time, and quantities of fire-wood had 
been chopped off it, notwithstanding which it had 
suddenly sprung upright again. This was easily ex- 
plained, for the roots had never been cut, and after 
some of the stem and many of the branches had been 



126 STOHr OF THE REAM COLUMN^ 

Au^ust'29 ^^^0^^^? ^^^y were sufficiently strong to raise it up 
Stanley ^g^i^- T^ie view of the Falls is greatly spoilt by 
Falls, the enormous poles which are placed across them, 
holding large baskets swinging in the water to 
catch fish. The Arabs are wonderful civilizers ; they 
grow quantities of rice, sweet potatoes, onions, guava 
trees, mangoes, paw-paws, and pomegranates. A black- 
smith's shop is one of the sights here. One very good 
law made by them to encourage trade is, that no natives 
living near the water are allowed to cut fire-wood, and 
no natives from inland are allowed to catch fish, thus 
the dwellers by the river buy their fire-wood with fish. 
Two of the big chiefs here speak Swahili. 

August 30^/i. — After breakfast we took our sketching 
things and went down to see Tippu-Tib. He gave us 
a boy and Salem to take us all about the place. We 
crossed to the old Station below the Falls, where we 
were met by Sheik Selim Mahommed, Tippu-Tib's 
nephew, one of the nicest of all the Arabs, a gentleman 
every inch, down to the soles of his feet. We went on 
to lunch with old Sheik Nasoro, a very courtly old 
gentleman. From his house we could see the natives 
coming down to the edge of the Falls, some holding on 
to the poles, whilst others mounted them, and dragged 
up the large baskets of fish. After saying good evening 
to Tippu-Tib, we sat on the rocks by the river, and, 
smoking our pipes, watched the setting sun. I can 
easily understand anyone getting quite fond of this 
place. There is a mixture of wildness and quiet 
about it which is really charming. Whilst resting at 
Sheik Mahommed bin Said's house, an Arab brought 
in seven or eight small tins of Crosse and Blackwell's 
Liebig, a large tin of lard, and a ripe paw-paw, an 
excellent fruit, which I had not eaten before. He 
asked what was in the tins, and, to our great amusement, 
told us they had been in the habit of using it for sores on 
the legs. He gave us all the Liebig, but took away the 
lard in disgust upon hearing it was hogs' fat. History 
does not relate from whom he had got all this, and 



DIARY. 



127 




the small packet of lettuce seed which he also showed 
us ; I feel sure they were stores taken when the old 
Station was captured from Deane. I am trying to get 
one man to buy all the fowls we want, and settle with 
him. 

August olst. — The laziest day I have spent since 
joining the Expedition ! It was the Mahommedan 
Christmas, and we did nothing but eat all day. All 
the Arabs were in Sunday best, and looked very hand- 
some in their long black embroidered cloaks over 
snowy white linen. One Sheik had on a buff-coloured 
robe, embroidered with gold and silver. Tippu-Tib's 
nephew, a handsome little Arab, paid me a visit, and 
he was delighted by my giving him my Egyptian 
tobacco-box. His father is Tippu's philanthropist 
brother, a tall, light-coloured Arab with a long beard, 
the most benevolent and pious-looking old gentleman. 
We were informed that he is very religious, and might 
be rich, but that he gives away nearly all his ivory to 



1887. 
August 30. 

Stanley 
Falls. 



128 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 

August 31 ^^^^ P^^^ Arabs. This is very different from the opinion 
Stanley ^ ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^™ * ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ evening Tippu-Tib 
FaiR sent word that he could not start until the day after 
to-morrow, as the natives have refused to lend their 
canoes, or to paddle others, saying they believed we 
were going up the Aruwimi again. This makes me 
believe the story of their refusing to go higher up with 
Tippu-Tib before. We were honoured by a visit fi:om 
four or five of Tippu-Tib's Lights of the Harem, who 
are not his real wives, as those are never seen by any 
one. The Arabs and natives here appear to live in the 
most perfect harmony. You will meet an Arab strolling 
along hand in hand with one of the native chiefs, and 
if a canoe is wanted, it is ready in a moment, the chiefs 
themselves paddling it. All day long we were visited 
by people who either wanted presents, as it was Christ- 
mas, or had something to sell, until it got so bad that 
we had to close our doors. With the exception of a 
few guns being fired ofi', and a great quantity of food 
being eaten, there did not appear to be much rejoicing, 
and they all wished they were at Zanzibar, where 
Christmas could be kept in a proper fashion. 

September 1st. — Had a most enjoyable day, and, I am 
sorry to say, the last here. After breakfast Salem came 
to say that the natives of the island village were going 
to have another day's wrestling, so we started at once, and 
whilst waiting for a canoe at Sheik Nasoro's house, saw 
the old gentleman cupped on the legs for rheumatism. 
The Arabs put up an awning for us to see the sports ; 
the wrestling was much better than the last, and I saw 
one really good fall. Both Ward and I got some 
sketches. Salem informed me that it is almost im- 
possible to get any fowls, as the people will not sell 
them on trust. I am going to try to make them bring 
some anyhow. We had enough matakas to buy a 
dozen, but they were all stolen. This morning I 
wanted one or two to make a present to a girl who 
brought back one of my tortoises which had strayed. 
Upon asking Bartholomew for them, he at first pre- 



DIARY. 129 

tended not to understand, and then could not answer 1887. 
at all. He confessed to having received seventy, and ^^^' ' 
upon adding up all that had been spent, I found that fSis* 
it was only thirteen, so that he must have stolen fifty- 
seven. When I accused him, he did not even deny it. 
This is one of those beautiful boys brought up at 
a Mission, and I must say that I have always found 
them beat any savage at lying and thieving ! This 
man had been most energetic in reviling Msa for 
stealing Munichandi's knife and Koran. 

Sepfemher 2nd. — Went down before lunch to thank 
Tippu-Tib for his kindness to us. I told him I was 
going to make him a present of my big riile, which 
pleased him greatly. He gave us two sheep, three 
fowls, two large baskets of sweet potatoes, and a bag of 
rice. He also wrote a letter which he gave me, telling 
everyone that I had been his guest, and that they were 
to look after me. He intends to start to-morrow, and 
if the canoes arrive from Kassongo, he will bring goats 
and rice. He gave us some of the most delicious coffee 
I have ever tasted, which grows wild at Kassongo. 
After lunch we started, Tippu-Tib and all his followers 
coming to see us off. Five canoes in all. Selim 
Mahommed and Salem went with us. We found upon 
examination that a piece of cloth had been stolen, so I 
asked Tippu-Tib to put Bartholomew and Msa in 
chains, as I felt sure they would attempt to escape. 
They had, I afterwards discovered, told Tippu-Tib they 
meant to run away, but he declined to connive at 
their escape, so the two gentlemen are now in irons. 
Salem told us that Taboro, the chief of the Manyema, 
had refused to allow his men to carry Tippu-Tib's goods, 
either to the Falls or to Zanzibar, so that he now has to 
send his own men all the way, which makes it doubly 
difficult for him to give us men. Salem also told us 
that he now owns thirty men with guns, but he means 
soon to have 150. We asked him if he had the money 
to pay for them, upon which he said, " Oh ! that is 
simple enough. I have a razor and some white cloth. 
I go down to either Kassongo or Manyema, take hold 

K 



130 STOBT OF THE REAR COLUMN, 

}^^^\ of a man and shave his head, put a gun into his hands, 
Stanley ^^^ S^^® ^^™ euough cloth to make him decent, and he 
Falls, becomes my follower." He says they never start on 
any journey without consulting the Koran to see if the 
day and hour are lucky. If they did not do this, he 
says, they would certainly all go to Jehannum, Ac- 
cording to him, no one OAvns anything but Tippu-Tib, 
and they all covet whatever he has. They all wanted the 
knife I gave him, and would steal it if they dared. Tippu- 
Tib's brother will succeed him as chief, and afterwards 
Sefo, his son. We suggested that his brother was too 
peaceful a man to be chief of the Arabs, but he replied, 
" Oh ! Sefo and Rachid will do quite enough fighting." 
He also told us that Tippu-Tib had made an agreement 
to settle up the whole country as far as Bangala, and to 
establish stations ; this means that he will fight every 
tribe in succession, and then put his Arabs in. 

Sejptemher 3rd. — Left Tatiacusu at six, and only 
went as far as Yatuka. Here we stopped all day to buy 
food for the men, and pick up Abdullah and his men. 
I to-day saw the most horrible sight, a woman was nursing 
a child not bigger than a three or four-year old boy, but 
whose head might have belonged to a grown-up person, 
while its body was an absolute skeleton, every bone (even 
the very smallest) being visible,and covered only by loose 
skin. Tippu-Tib shows what a gentleman he really is, 
in his thoughtfulness for others. He noticed that Ward 
had no umbrella, and at once insisted on giving him 
one of his own ; and, as our two men were in chains, 
he sent his wife's boy, Farani, who speaks a little 
English, to look after us on the road. 

Septeinher ith. — Bartholomew and Msa broke their 
irons and escaped during the night. Selim bin Mahom- 
med assured me that they would be caught, and that 
we had better go on, as they would have to come into 
the villages for food, and would not do so until we 
were gone. I found out, on arriving at the next camp, 
that Bartholomew had stolen altogether 57 matakas, 
one piece of cloth, one axe, one knife, one plate, a pair 



DIARY, 131 

of scissors, and a table-napkin. Selim and Farani 0^^^"^^ 
informed me that they knew him well. He had been Ya^uka 
servant to a German on the coast near Zanzibar; 
he there stole two bales of cloth, a lot of clothes, and 
whatever he could lay hands on, and then set fire to 
the place. He enlisted with Mr. Stanley because he 
was running away from the people who were after 
him at Zanzibar. The German had offered Selim and 
Tippu-Tib £3 for his recovery. Reached Yalisula 
at midday, frightfully hungry, as we had no time for 
breakfast before starting, and no amount of " cussing '* 
would make the Arabs paddle a bit quicker; they 
simply floated with the current, or we should have 
arrived a good three hours sooner. I was so hungry 
that on arrival I devoured mouldy, weevily, maggoty 
biscuits, rancid butter, and Liebig, with avidity. It 
was one of the most curious luncheons I have ever 
eaten. I made arrangements with Selim Mahommed 
for Ward to start back to camp to-morrow, and deter- 
mined to wait here myself another day to see if the two 
culprits would turn up. I had some difficulty in getting 
men for Ward, as, although we had hired Abdullah's 
men at our camp to go to the Falls and back for a 
certain price, Selim said they were not Abdullah's men, 
but Tippu-Tib's, and Tippu-Tib had given orders that 
we were to be sent back to our camp without any 
expense. I at last succeeded in making Selim under- 
stand that we had entered into a contract with the men, 
and that, according to our views, payment was due to 
them. 

Se;ptemher dth. — The market in the evening was 
interesting. About 4 o'clock a drum is beaten to 
collect the natives from the villages near, when each 
party of villagers takes up a separate position on the 
ground, bringing with them all they have to sell. 
Those from inland supply plantains and manioc, both 
roots and tops, the green leaves of which are tied up in 
plantain leaves as neatly as though they were to go to 
Covcnt Garden market. The salt which they sell they 

k2 



132 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

Se^t^'s obtain by burning grass and plantain husks and stems ; 

Yaiisuia. ^^^7 ^^^ bring fire-wood and fishing-nets. The natives 
from the shores bring fish and pottery. Once all are 
assembled at the sound of the drum, a tremendous 
trade begins, accompanied by an uproar very much akin 
to that proceeding from the betting-ring at the Derby. 
No form of money is used ; the articles are exchanged 
for one another. I bought two ivory pestles for 
pounding manioc. Neither of our escaped thieves 
has turned up to-day, so we are obliged to stay another 
day, although this is a horrible spot; I can only get 
rice and plantains to eat, but endeavour to discover a 
new flavour in each at every meal. 

September 6th. — No signs of Bartholomew, so we start 
for camp to-morrow. At the Falls, and wherever the 
Arabs trade on the river, the only form of money used, 
except the large pieces of iron for buying ivory, is small 
iron axe-heads. Kassongo must be a wonderfully rich 
place, for according to the Arabs everything, iron, 
copper, rice, goats, salt, cofi'ee, chickens, &c., comes 
from there. 

Septeinber 7th. — Started at 8 a.m., and marched 
steadily, with one small break, until 5 p.m. I find that 
Selim Mahommed's band accompanies him on land as 
well as water. It consists of three Kassongo drums, 
played by men, and three hand-rattles, played by 
women; and they all sing, or rather wail and grunt. 
We took a difierent road to the Falls from that which we 
had followed before. I told the Arabs it was far too 
much to the east, but they maintained that it was 
shorter. It lay nearly due north of Yaiisuia. The 
small rivers were so high that we had to wade them 
up to our arm-pits, which made the walking very 
unpleasant. 

September Sth. — Got under way at 6 o'clock, and 
reached a very large village held by Tippu-Tib's people, 
called Sugurru, at about 4 p.m. This village was about 
twenty miles out of our course. I told the Arabs that 



DIARY. 



133 



the road was all wrong, as I could see by my compass, 
but they persisted in believing the natives. We were 
at one time completely lost, but luckily caught two 
women, who brought us to Sugurru. Passed an immense 
number of monkeys, and I shot one for the natives, 
who use the skin for helmets, and consider the 
flesh a great delicacy. There were numerous fresh 
elephant-tracks ; the whole bush was in some places 
trodden down by them. It was positively dangerous 
work walking fast in the forest, for the natives have 



1887. 
Sept. 8. 

SugurriL 




large poisoned spears tied to immense logs of timber, 
suspended between trees over the elephant-path, and 
across which they place a light rope attached to a 
trigger, so that the moment the rope is touched by an 
elephant, down comes the spear into his back. Two or 
three times I very nearly walked under one. We 
escaped this danger to run into a worse, for the Arabs 
at the next village all but fired at us, thinking we were 
enemies. Crossed a great number of rivers and 
swamps. Was Avet through all day. 

Sej^temher 2th. — One of the most disagreeable days I 



134 STOBT OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

}^^J'c, have ever spent. Started at 6 a.m., and could sret no 

oept. y. . ^ ^ Til 11 

jsugurru ^^^ives to Carry the sheep. Our road lay through the 
to most horrible country, for more than an hour down the 
^^ ^^ bed of a small river, which was dammed up in places, 
and through them one had to flounder up to one's 
waist and sometimes higher. Then followed another 
river, cane-brake, and swamp. I walked ahead with 
the natives, and we went for a good ten hours with only 
one short break. We pulled up at 4.30, a long way from 
Yambau (which should have been our camp), in a village 
where not a drop of water was to be had for love or 
money. I had nothing to eat all day but a few plantains 
before starting, and a little cold rice cooked yesterday, 
before I turned in for the night; so that, after ten 
hours' hard Avork, I went to bed more hungry and thirsty 
than I think I ever have been before. Had Selim 
Mahommed not been so far behind, I should have 
walked on, as I am sure we should have reached 
Yambau, or at least water, before dark ; but as it was 
the Arabs were evidently annoyed with me for having 
come so far. 

Sejptember 10th. — Owing to heavy rain we did not 
start till 6.30. Went nearly due north until we struck 
our old road to the Falls, which I recognized at once. 
The native guides were so troublesome, stopping fre- 
quently, that at last I went ahead with my boy, and 
soon struck the village, where Ward and I had slept 
before, and there I got an Arab to take us into Yambau. 
One of the Arabs brought me a magnificent ivory horn, 
which, when standing on the ground, came up to my 
chin ; but he would take nothing but a revolver for it, 
so I could not buy it. I wronged the Arabs when I 
was last near here, by saying that I thought they lied 
w^hen they declared their town to be a long way from 
where Ward and I slept. The road is a bad one, with 
two nasty rivers to wade, and it takes about an hour. 
I succeeded in getting a very small fowl here, which I 
de^foured (body and bones), for I had nothing for break- 
fast but a cup of malafu and a few plantains. 



BIABT, 135 

September Uth. — Got away before 6 o'clock, and ^^^'^• 
went steadily on until 1 o'clock, when we reached the Yambau 
river, on the further side of which Ward and I had to 
slept our first night out. News came that the two men ^^"^^"5'^ 
who escaped had not been captured, but a letter had 
been received from Tippu-Tib telling the Arabs they 
must be careful, and a number of men had been sent 
out after them. 

September 12th. — Eeached Yambuya at 12 o'clock. 
About three hours from camp came across fresh elephant 
and buffalo-tracks. Found poor Ward very seedy. The 
others all in good health, and eager to get on the 
march again. 

Sep)tember 13th. — During my absence the natives 
have been giving trouble, and brought nothing to sell, 
so the Major sent Bonny to catch some of their women. 
He caught eight women and a baby. Two have been 
ransomed for a gun which they had stolen, 13 fowls, 
and a lot of fish. Selim Mahommed has formed a 
camp on the rising ground behind our camp. 

It is a very true saying that when thieves fall out 
some crime is sure to come to light. To-day, through 
some row among the Soudanese, the whole story of the 
stolen axe came out. It appears that, between the 
stealing and selling of it, there were five of the Sou- 
danese implicated in it ! They were the very men who 
had made most fuss about their matakas being stopped 
for a theft which they said they had not committed. 

Sep)tember Uth. — This morning, after breakfast, we 
had a second parade for the punishment of the Sou- 
danese who stole the axe. The Zanzibaris having 
always been blamed for the theft. Major Barttelot 
wished them to witness the punishment of the real 
thieves. The tAvo companies of Zanzibaris fell in out- 
side the boma, and the Soudanese fell in between them. 
The prisoners were then led out, and the two who stole 
the axe received 100 lashes each, and those who had 
connived at the theft received 75 each. The men 



136 



STORY OF TEE BEAR COLUMN. 




Selim bin Mahommed. 



1887. were then warned that any one of them losmg an axe 
Sept. 14. ^^ ^ g^^ would receive the same punishment. Ward 
Yambuya. ^^^^^ ^^^^ seedy, but decidedly improving, I think. The 
natives brought us a splendid fish to-day, exactly like an 
English chub, and weighing about 12 lbs. ; the best 
fish I have tasted on the Congo. Our evenings are very 
pleasant ; we all dine together and yarn about old times 
and future prospects. 

Se]ptemher Ibth. — Our men put up a railing round the 
graveyard, in which there are now fifteen graves, and I 
fear, if we are much longer here, there will be a good 
many more. Hather an unpleasant business with the 
Arabs to-day. One of our men brought a large fish 
into camp, when Salem came down and claimed it, 



DIARY, 137 

saying he had given Munichandi two axe-heads and }^T\r, 
some matakas to buy it with. The Major was naturally Yimbuya 
much annoyed about this, and he told Salem that he 
did not wish them to have anything to do with our 
men, but to keep to their own camp ; if they wanted 
fish they could perfectly well buy it for themselves. 
Down came Selim Mahommed with Salem, very much 
annoyed at the order to keep his men to their camp, 
wishing to know if it was only on account of the fuss 
about the fish. Barttelot explained that it was not only 
because of that, but because we are very crowded, and 
that if they used our camp, on Tippu's arrival his men 
would think they could do the same, and as a good 
many of our men wished to run away, they could then 
plot with his people how to do so. Selim Mahommed 
then gave back the revolver Major Barttelot had sent to 
Tippu-Tib, and said he had sent it back owing to there 
being so few cartridges for it, and his inability to get 
any more ; it would therefore be quite useless to him, 
but at the same time he thanked the Major for it very 
much. A second interview with Selim Mahommed in 
the afternoon ended in a perfect understpiuding and 
agreement. 

The natives on the opposite side of the river were 
again attacked to-day by some Arabs, who must be 
Abdullah's men. This is very unfair, as he promised 
us to leave them in peace. The natives were fired upon 
several times, and the whole village cleared out. Ward 
still very seedy. 

September l^th. — One of my men died to-day, and 
two died during my absence, making eight deaths in my 
company. In the evening the Major, Troup, Bonny, 
and I had a game of bowls, the bowls being a large 
kind of fruit we found lying on the ground. Made 
some sketches in my diary. I find I never have an idle 
quarter of an hour from one week's end to another. No 
sign of Tippu-Tib yet. The natives are coming back to 
their village. 

September 17th. — Just before lunch to-day we heard 



138 STOEY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

l^Tvi ^ succession of shots across the river, and, running out 
Imbuya. ^^^^ ^7 glasscs, I saw a most pitiable sight. A number 
of natives were swimming in the water, others in 
canoes trying to pick them up, whilst the Arabs, who 
had surprised them in the village, were firing into them 
from the bank. A good many who had not time to 
escape in the canoes had jumped into the water, and 
hidden under the overhanging scrub. I saw the Arabs 
peering down into it, and noticed one man fire, upon 
which a poor native could be seen splashing about, but 
a second shot finished him and he sank. Three were 
deliberately shot in this manner. The Arabs were 
Abdullah's men, and he had given his word not to 
molest these natives, and this is the third time he has 
attacked them. The Major went to Selim Mahommed 
and told him of this, and Selim promised to stop it, and 
sent a canoe over to the other side, but all the Arabs 
had gone. Ungungu came into camp afterwards, and 
told us that nine of them had been killed ; this destroys 
all our chances of getting food and trading with them 
for anything. We told Ungungu that he could sleep 
in our camp to-night, and advised him to come over to 
this side close to our camp, and bring his people with 
him. He said that nothing would make him stay on 
the other side again. 

I had some sticks cut to-day, and Troup and I had a 
great game of " Aunt Sally " in the evening. 

Se;ptemher ISth. — Selim Mahommed sent men to 
Abdullah's camp up-river, and they returned with a 
letter from him to the Major apologizing for having 
attacked the natives. They were, he said, retaliating 
upon them for having killed one of his men, and 
wounded another who is dying. 

September 19th. — The only thing that cheers us up now 
is the hope that Tippu-Tib may bring enough men to 
enable us to start after Stanley. This weary waiting, 
month after month, is perfectly sickening, and takes all 
the spirit and interest in the Expedition clean out of it. 



DIARY. 139 

September 2Qth. — ^A¥heii on my way to Barttelot's tent ^^^7. 
this morning, Chama, the cook, informed me that the ^amb 
two tortoises Avhich I had brought from the Falls had 
been stolen during the night. Both the cords which 
fastened them to the cook-house were cut. We at once 
suspected the Soudanese soldiers, as the Zanzibaris will 
not touch them. Barttelot sent for their chief, Omra, 
and the interpreter, Assad Farran, and said I would 
give a reward for them, dead or alive. They presently 
returned with the charred remains, and said that the 
same men who had stolen the axe were concerned 
in this robbery also. It appears they have regular 
messes of three or four who share everything in the 
way of food. Last night Turgamus Mahommed woke 
up and found Murjad Eedwan eating something by 
himself, and asked him, in a rage, what it was. He 
replied, "A rat," which it was. Turgamus said he 
must also eat something, and thought of the tortoises, 
and he woke up a third man to take them, and a fourth 
to share them ! The whole lot will be flogged if they 
do not confess who actually stole them. The tortoises 
had very handsome shells ; and I was going to take them 
home, after removing the bodies — one to be made into 
a box for my wife's dressing-table (as all her brushes 
&c. are of tortoiseshell), the other to be made into 
a cigar-case on rollers, to pass round the table after 
dinner : so it is a great disappointment to me. Ward 
mending, but very slowly. The sunsets are very beau- 
tiful now, when looking straight up the centre of 
the river. I am beginning to long for an active life 
again. I would rather a thousand times go through all 
sorts of hardships than lead this miserable existence — 
doing nothing and living upon what we can get in 
ransom for the few native women we can catch ! 

September 21st. — Turgamus Mahommed, who stole 
my tortoises, was flogged this morning before all the men. 
No sign of Tippu-Tib or of his men. Another of 
the captive women Avas ransomed to-day for eight fowls 
and a lot of fish. 



140 



STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 




A Native op the Fppek Congo. 

1887. September 22nd. — Selim Mahommed, who has re- 

Tambuya. tumed froHi a visit to Abdullah's camp, says that from 
reports brought by natives here, the country about 
fifteen days from here changes from forest to grass, 
where there are cattle and sheep. They say that Mr. 
Stanley had one fight with some natives who are 
governed by a queen, or female chief. One of my men 
died to-day. This makes seventeen graves, and the 
ninth death in my company. 

Seftember 2^Td. — Finished all the sketches I made 
during our trip to Stanley Falls, and to-morrow I mean 
to begin collecting again. I spoke to Selim about the 
information he gave Troup yesterday. He told me that 
Mr. Stanley had a fight with the natives six days from 
here ; only three natives were killed, the chiefs brother 
and two women. It must have been a white man who 
shot him, for he was described as a man with a large 
hat on his head. Fifteen days from here, he says, you 
come into a lovely grass country full of sheep, but no 



DIAET. 141 

cattle. This information was obtained from Manyema 1^7. 
natives, who ran away Avhen Mr. Stanley entered the y^mbu a 
country. 

September 24:th. — I feel more and more every day 
what a waste of life it is being left for months in this 
miserable camp. If Mr. Stanley has all the confidence 
in Tippu-Tib which he says he has, he could easily 
have left all his stores at the Falls, and taken us on 
with him. 

September 2bth, — Bartholomew and Msa were brought 
in chains by Tippu-Tib's men to-day. Although very fat, 
they were evidently very much do^vn on their luck at 
being caught and brought back to camp. Barttelot 
had them removed in chains to the guard-house. It is 
a capital thing, their being caught and brought back, 
as it shows the other men the uselessness of running 
away. One of the men from Bolobo died to-day, 
making the eighteenth death in camp. Heard that 
Tippu-Tib is at the Lumami Eiver. 

September 26th. — All our hopes of being able to go 
on after Stanley have been destroyed to-day. Selim 
Mahommed came down and had an interview with us. 
He informed us that news had arrived from Tippu-Tib 
to the effect that he would have come himself, but was 
ashamed to do so, as he was not able to bring the promised 
men with him. His men had heard from those who came 
up with us from Matadi of the weight and size of many 
of our loads, and this seems to be one of the chief causes 
of their not coming, also the failure of their first attempt. 
They are all scattered over the country, fighting natives 
and following their own vocations. Tippu-Tib sent 
forty men, whom he gave us to use as carriers, without 
any pay, in case we should think fit to send them with 
a number of our own after Stanley (with some of the 
loads), under white officers. He has written to his son 
Sefo, at Kassongo, to send him the necessary number of 
men for us, but it takes thirty days to get there from 
the Falls and fourteen to return, so that Mr. Stanley 



142 STOBT OF TEE BEAU COLUMIS, 

1887 will, accordins^ to his calculations, have returned here 
X'ambu a ^^^^^® ^^^7 arrive. We shall simply have to sit down 
for another two or three months, and exist. Barttelot 
has determined to go to the Falls and see Tippu-Tib. 
I have very grave doubts as to whether we shall ever see 
Lake Albert Nyanza, and it is a pretty ending to our 
share in the relief of Emin Pasha. 

September 21th. — This morning justice was meted 
out to Bartholomew and Msa, the deserters and thieves. 
They were flogged in front of all the men, Bartholomew 
receiving 150 lashes and Msa 100. The former kept 
calling out " I die to-day, I die to-day," in a sort of 
prolonged howl. Omaha, the Soudanese officer, an- 
nounced that the native chief Ungungu had heard from 
natives up river that Mr. Stanley was returning with a 
large force. He had had a big fight, in which the 
natives had used bows and arrows ; twenty of the 
Zanzibaris were killed, and one donkey. Mr. Stanley 
then defeated the natives. This happened twenty days' 
journey from here. In consequence of this rumour 
Major Barttelot has postponed his departure for the 
Falls until he can find out what truth there is in it. 
Troup and I went up the river after lunch to see 
Ungungu, but he did not turn up, and so we returned to 
the camp. How are the mighty fallen ! It is really sad 
to see the shelter, for it cannot be called a hut, that this 
chief now lives in, or rather sleeps in, since the Arabs 
attacked his village and killed a lot of his men. It is 
built just below the rapids, in the forest at the edge of 
the water, and consists of a few leaves placed across a 
couple of horizontal poles. He lives all the daytime in 
his canoe, the few mves left to him accompanying him. 
Ward is mending, but still frightfully weak, and Bonny 
has had a bad bilious attack, with severe rheumatic 
pains. The men are all busy getting grass and poles 
for the new houses we are having built for them in the 
fort. 

September 2Sth. — For some reason or other Selim 
Mahommed is very anxious to find out why Major 



DIARY. 143 

Barttelot is going to the Falls, and he evidently does 1887. 
not believe what the Major has told him, that it is prin- ®®P*-28. 
cipally to buy food and for a change. ambuya 

Septemher 2Wi. — I have found ont a capital plan to 
make the men work ; any of them I catch idle I bring 
into camp, and make them carry a case of ammunition 
up and down inside the fort : they prefer to cut grass 
and poles after this. 

September Wth. — Troup and I went up and saw 
Ungungu, the native chief He told us that Mr. 
Stanley was within four days' march of the camp. 




We bought from him a line fish and a small sucking-fish, 
of which I have made a sketch. Major Barttelot 
has postponed his departure for the Falls for ^Ye 
days, in case there is any truth in the rumour of 
Mr. Stanley's approach. 

October 1st. — Usual monotonous day, uninterrupted 
by one single incident worth mentioning. 

October 2nd. — A number of natives passing in canoes 
shouted out that Mr. Stanley was only two days' journey 
off. Later on Ungungu came to the fort, and said that 
twenty Zanzibaris of Mr. Stanley's force were coming 
down in canoes, and would reach us to-morrow or the 
day after. Stanley and the rest of the force were at Upi, 
seven days from here, Avhere he was having very heavy 
fighting, the natives using bows and arrows. Ungungu 
showed us a knife which the Zanzibaris had given him 
for fish, as a proof that he was speaking the truth. 



144 STORY OF THE BEAU COLUMN. 

1887. Thank Heaven ! we shall know something for certain at 
Yambua ^^^^' Selim Mahommed Sent the Major and myself a Very 
fine goat as a present, and the sheep I had to leave at 
Sugurru arrived to-day, so that it never rains but it 
pours. We have been saving the remainder of the 
fowls for Ward, and have had nothing but rice and 
beans for the last two or three days. Selim Mahommed's 
band came into the fort, and gave us a great serenade 
during dinner. Made a sketch of my house, in which 
I have passed the dullest four months I have ever spent 
anywhere. 

October 3rd, — Anxiously awaiting the arrival of the 
men from Mr. Stanley. The Major and I are going up 
to-night, with twenty Soudanese, to Abdullah's camp, to 
set the matter at rest, once for all. Ward picking up 
rapidly ; he went over to Troup's house, and sat there 
several hours. 

October Uh. — The Major and I started at 2.30 a.m. 
for Abdullah's camp, with a guard of twenty Soudanese 
soldiers. The path is bad, and the jungle so thick that, 
although the moon was a good one, we did not reach 
the first village from here, where Mr. Stanley camped, 
until 6.40, and Abdullah's camp at a quarter to 9. We 
could find no traces nor obtain any news about the 
twenty men supposed to be on their way to us from 
Stanley. The Arabs are making a regular station of 
this village, and have burnt and razed to the ground 
all the other villages passed on the road. They told 
us that the natives are constantly coming to them from 
below river, saying that Tippu-Tib is coming, and only 
about a day or two ofi"; and with us they say the same 
about Stanley coming down from the opposite direction. 
I am sure they think they will get a little peace and 
quiet as long as either is expected to make his appear- 
ance. There are a good many rapids and islands on 
the higher stretch of the river, and these and the large 
patches of tall rushes scattered along the banks make 
a far prettier scene than the monotonous tameness 
of the views lower down. We saw tracks of a good 



DIARY. 145 

many hippos, but all remarkably small. Tippu-Tib ^^^^7. 
has a very hard job before him, if he means to put a Yambu a 
stop to slavery in his territories. Ivory is really the 
wealth of the country, and captured native men, and 
especially women, mean ivory, those of them not ran- 
somed by their Mends remaining slaves. In Abdullah's 
village we saw one gang of women working with ropes 
round their necks, and all fastened together, who bore 
on their bodies the unmistakable marks of pretty severe 
floggings. As the Arabs do not shoot elephants them- 
selves, and hunt nothing but men and women, it is 
their only means of becoming rich and obtaining ivory. 
Once put a stop to this trade, and their only reason for 
remaining in the country ceases. I cannot believe that 
any effectual change will take place for a very long 
time, no matter how much Tippu-Tib himself may 
desire it. 

October bfh. — The Major and Troup leave to-morrow 
for the Falls, and expect to be back about the 1st of 
November. I fear the spring under my house has not 
ceased to flow, for it is as damp as ever, and the lovely 
fresh green of the palms surrounding it shows that theii 
roots are well watered. All the men are now employed 
in building the new houses inside the fort. 

October 6th. — Barttelot and Troup left at 9 o'clock. 
Sheik Bin Nasoro passed through to-day, with a large 
retinue, on his way up river. The Arabs seem to be 
making stations right along the route Mr. Stanley went 
to the Lake ; they will soon have a very large force up 
there. It looks as if Tippu-Tib were largely increasing 
his territory, so that, in case of any disagreement with 
the Congo Free State, he will be more powerful than 
ever. Selim swears that he has entered into an arrange- 
ment with the Free State to settle the Congo right 
down to Bangala, making stations at all the principal 
native towns. If he once does this, the State will find 
him a very nasty customer to dislodge, should they ever 
wish to do so. This morning one of the men out 

L 



146 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN, 

i^p- cutting grass returned to camp with his arm and 
Yambu a stomach slashed right across with a knife — a quarter of 
an inch deeper would have finished him. I sent out at 
once for the man who had stabbed him, who coolly 
informed me that they had had some dispute about 
manioc, and that the devil had entered into him, and 
made him do it. He was evidently the aggressor all 
through ; so I told him I should take measures to drive 
the devil out of him, and had him placed in chains in 
the guard-room. I mean to have him flogged before 
a full parade to-morrow. It is evident that Tippu- 
Tib can find plenty of men able and willing to go slave 
and ivory hunting, although he cannot find men for us. 

October 7fh. — Justice was administered upon the man 
who stabbed the other, this morning before a full 
parade. He will think twice before he lets the devil 
master him a second time. A donkey-boy brought me 
in a small rail this evening which is quite new to me ; 
although I have seen some like it in South Africa, yet 
I know none where the colouring of the neck and 
breast so abruptly terminates, diifering entirely from 
that of the rest of the body. Ward is now quite well, 
though weak, but Bonny is seedy to-night with a 
severe dose of fever, leaving me the only fit white man 
in camp. 

October Sth. — Bonny still very seedy. No more fever, 
but constant sickness and pains in the head. Ward 
had a bad night, and is not so well as yesterday. 
Painted and skinned the small rail, as well as a young 
one, brought me by the same boy. The Arabs have 
spoilt our fish-market by trading with the natives in 
axes and cloth ; they will sell nothing but the smallest 
fish for matakas now, and we have to go a long way 
from camp to get even those. 

October 9th. — Mahommed Dowd, one of the Sou- 
danese ofiicers, died to-day. This makes our twenty- 
first death since we have been here — a large number 
out of so small a force. 



DIABY, 147 

October 10th. — A fearful storm of thunder and rain q^^\\ 
last night, during which the four native women prisoners yambu a 
made their escape through a hole in the boma. I 
cannot help thinking the Soudanese had a hand in it, 
for they could not have passed the sentries without 
being seen, and they were certainly all awake each 
time I went my rounds. 

October 11th. — Eained nearly all day; the camp is 
now in a horrible state. The enormous quantities of 
fresh grass put on the roofs of the houses are now 
rotten from the continuous wet, and at night there is 
a most unpleasant smell from them. Last night I 
went to sit for a bit with Ward, who was in bed ; our 
conversation was disturbed by a noise from under the 
head of the bed, and a rat ran out into the middle of the 
floor. Ward said he thought there was a snake after 
it, and sat up ; he had hardly done so, when a large 
snake glided up beside his pillow. He sprang out of 
bed, and got on to the top of a box in the middle of the 
room, whilst I procured a stick. The snake fell on to 
the ground before I could hit it, and came out from 
under the bed straight at my legs. A well-directed 
blow broke its head, however, just as it raised it to 
strike. It proved to be a long black snake about five 
feet in length, and a really poisonous one, very much 
resembling the common black cobra. Its belly was 
pale yellow, with beautiful tints of opal on it. Imme- 
diately afterwards I killed a large bat with immense 
ears, which came in to see what was going on. 

October 12th. — Heavy rain again last night. Caught 
six rats last night in my house ; but it does not seem 
to have diminished the stock to any degree. Painted 
some heads of natives from pencil sketches of Ward's. 
No one, who has not been situated as I am, can tell how 
thankful one is for even small resources to occupy 
one's time. Were it not for the occupation which 
drawing and collecting give me, I feel sure I could not 
have kept free from illness during the four months I 
have spent in this camp. Thank goodness, Bonny is 

i2 



148 STORY OF THE REAR GOLUMN, 

1887. well enough to take a turn round the sentries at night ; 
^ , * six nights' running of it is rather wearing ! 

Octoher loth, — This afternoon Selim Mahommed 
brought me a letter £i:om the Major, which contained 
serious news. He had reached Yalisula on the 8th, and 
Tippu-Tib had come to the same place next day, and 
told the Major that ten Zanzibaris had deserted Stanley 
and come to him, bringing ivory, and claiming his pro- 
tection. He is going to send them here. Abdullah 
did capture them, and Ungungu's story was true, for 
some of them were in the camp when the Major and I 
went over there. The letter went on to tell me to put 
the deserters under a guard of Soudanese on their 
arrival here, to allow them to hold no communication 
with any one, and to disarm all the Zanzibaris in camp 
except the Muniaparas, stacking their rifles in our 
houses. This I shall do to-morrow. When I had 
finished reading the letter, Selim Mahommed told me 
that he had received a letter from Tippu-Tib, telling him 
that there were still several deserters at Abdullah's camp, 
and that he was to ask me to send a few men with some 
of his, with a letter, ordering Abdullah to hand them 
over, with their rifles and any ivory or loads they might 
have with them, I at flrst thought of going myself, 
but decided not to do so, as the Major left me here, in 
sole charge of the camp, and should there be any row 
here about disarming the Zanzibaris, Ward being ill. 
Bonny would be the only white man left ; so to-morrow 
morning I shall send flve Soudanese, under Omaha as 
their chief officer, with Selim's men. The deserters 
told Tippu-Tib's people that they left Mr. Stanley 
because nearly every day they were fighting natives who 
used poisoned arrows, and there was some kind of fly 
where they were, whose bites nearly killed them. 
When they deserted, Mr. Stanley was still forcing his 
way on to the Lake. I cannot think, however, that the 
country can be such a very dangerous one to go 
through, or these ten men could never have got back 
here. The Major left Yalisula for the Falls on the 



DIARY 149 

11th. It was a perfectly lovely day, so I was able to oct^is 
take out all Nelson's and Stairs' things and give them Yambuya 
a good airing. The deserters have not yet arrived. 

Octoher Uth, — The rainy season really seems to have 
set in, for not a single night passes without a severe 
thunderstorm. Sent off Omaha and five of the Soudanese, 
with three of Tippu-Tib's people, to bring in the 
prisoners from Abdullah's camp. They did not start 
until after breakfast, as Selim Mahommed was busy 
sending off his men, with Ungungu as guide, to attack 
a large native village some distance down the river. 
After lunch, we made the men fall in with their rifles 
and stack them outside our houses, inside which they 
were placed after being well oiled. 

Octoher Ibth. — The Soudanese returned with only 
one prisoner, six rifles, 67 cartridges, one belt, and a 
bundle of clothes done up in a blanket. The prisoner's 
story is as follows : — After being with Stanley for a 
long time (he could not say how long, but it might 
have been 100 days), his foot got very bad, and he 
asked Mr. Stanley to allow him to go in the boat with 
the sick, which Mr. Stanley refused, but took his load 
from him. He went on for three days, when he again 
requested to go in the boat, but was not allowed. He 
could go no further, and so was left. The natives 
tried to take away his gun from him, but he frightened 
them. They then offered to show him the road, but 
left him on an island alone, where he remained for 
three days. On the fourth day he noticed a canoe 
coming down river with eight men in it. He shouted 
to them, and they took him on with them. They had 
deserted from Stanley, taking a quantity of clothes and 
ivory with them. The ivory had been taken in a village 
which Stanley had sent his men to capture. On their 
way down river, whilst sleeping in a village from which 
they had frightened the natives by firing off their guns, 
one of them was stabbed through the leg by a native 
who had stolen in amongst them. On reaching Abd- 
ullah's camp, six of them went off to Tippu-Tib at 



150 STOET OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 

o?^*5 Singatini. This man and the one who had been 
Tambu a stabbed remained at Abdullah's camp, while the ninth 
man went with Abdullah to show him a place where 
he could find any amount of ivory. Of the front 
column, no men had been killed in fighting, but two 
had been killed when gathering manioc, and a good 
many had died on the road. Nelson had been wounded 
in the side by an arrow, and had gone one day in the 
boat, but was marching again the next. When he 
was left, Stanley was still keeping along the river 
Aruwimi, using his boat for the sick and some loads. 
They had stolen a quantity of cloth and clothes from 
Stanley, but had sold most of it to the Arabs. The 
prisoner said he had really told me the truth, for he 
was afraid of being punished severely if he told any 
lies. The bundle that reached me contained 1 blanket, 
5 fezes, 2 black cloaks, 2 red cloaks (one gold em- 
broidered), 3 pairs of red pants, 1 striped tablecloth, 
1 short white shirt, 1 long ditto, 2 waistcoats, 1 long 
coarse white shirt, 2 checked sashes, 1 piece of coloured 
handkerchief, 1 piece of blue cloth, 1 bundle of ties. 
Selim Mahommed informed me that the other six 
prisoners are at Yalisula. There he has 28 women 
captives in his camp, who will all have to be ransomed 
with ivory or remain slaves. After the reports about 
the hardships of the road spread by the deserters 
amongst Tippu-Tib 's men, I fear there is but little 
chance of our ever being able to get any men as carriers 
from him. 

October 16th. — Nothing occurred to break the deadly 
monotony of our existence. I am glad to see a much 
brighter tone amongst the men. They have made 
a couple of drums, and had a regular dance this after- 
noon, and a free fight with sticks, in which one man 
received a crack on the eye, which completely closed 
it up. 

October 17th. — Had a long conversation with Selim 
Mahommed to-day, in which he gave me a good deal 
of interesting information about the people in these 



DIARY. 151 

parts. Upon my inquiry as to why the natives here q?^?^ 
did not exchange their ivory for guns, he told me that Yarabu a 
there is no trade whatever between these natives and 
those lower down at the mouth of the river. If they 
attempt to go down river, they are caught and eaten, 
which fate equally awaits those who come up from 
below. Upon certain days markets are held, similar to 
the one described by me at Yalisula, but to these no 
arms of any kind are allowed to be brought. The same 
people who sell and buy from one another to-day will 
eat one another to-morrow. All the natives from 
Bangala up to the Falls, both on the Congo and on all 
its tributaries, are cannibals. They certainly are such 
at the Falls, and further up the Congo to within a few 
days of Nyangwe. Curious to say, a river marks the 
boundaries of cannibalism in that direction, as on this 
side of the river they are cannibals and on the opposite 
side there are none. I asked him if they preferred 
black or white people to eat. He at once said, " White." 
They say that our white colour arises from our being 
" all fat," and have asked Salem what we eat to make 
us so " fat." He asked me whether, at Sugurru, I had 
observed how the natives had stared at me, adding that 
he had heard them remark, as I strolled amongst them, 
not " Here is a white man," but " This is fat" They 
cannot believe that our colour is natural. He assures 
me that even the bravest of the Arabs, he himself 
amongst the number, are bad hunters, as they are all 
afraid of big game. One day he was out after elephants 
with a Swedish officer from the Falls, and when they 
came across one the white man fired and struck it in 
the head, upon which it shook it violently, and Selim 
ran away ! When he returned he found the elephant 
dead. Tippu-Tib, he tells me, is on the Lumami River 
with Rachid. He also says the Arabs have taken 
nearly all the villages on the lower Aruwimi, and that 
most of the native chiefs have gone to the Lumami to 
make peace with Tippu-Tib. 

October ISth. — Our camp was visited to-day by a 



152 STOBT OF THE BEAB COLUMN, 

o^t^is ^^^^^^ ^^ native chiefs and their followers, who had 
rambuya ^^^^ ^P from villages lower down the river, to make 
peace with Selim Mahommed. They have promised to 
trade with us. Shot a small dotterel, or ringed plover, 
and sketched it ; it appears to be exactly the same as the 
English one. The other, which I shot and sent home 
in August, was slightly different in plumage, and with- 
out the white ring round the neck. Another Zanzibar! 
died yesterday, making the 23rd death. 

Octoher 19th. — Selim Mahommed told me to-day that 
one of the chiefs who visited him yesterday, who comes 
from Abdullah's camp, says it is perfectly true that 
eight men escaped from Stanley and came down river 
in canoes, picking up the ninth man on an island. He 
says they were with Stanley for two months, or moons, 
before they deserted, and that they were fifteen days in 
the canoes, paddling all day. If they only paddled ten 
hours a-day, or rather floated at the rate of two miles 
an hour, they must have come three hundred miles 
down river ! Salem tells me that they arrived at Abd- 
ullah's camp with an enormous number of spears and 
knives, which they had taken from the natives. Upon 
approaching a village they fired a few shots into it, 
when all the natives ran away ; they then entered, and 
took all they could find. This afternoon Msa, Bartho- 
lomew, and another thief, who went out in chains under 
the guard of one sergeant and a private, to gather fire- 
wood, all escaped. I sent off all the available men after 
them, as did Salem Mahommed, and went out myself 
and scoured the bush in every available direction, but 
to no purpose. 

October 20th. — Torrents of rain all night and no moon, 
so the escaped prisoners had no chance of getting far 
away. After breakfast Selim Mahommed sent down their 
chains, which had been found in the water between his 
two camps. They have evidently smashed open the 
rings with a stone. At four o'clock one of the sick 
men reported having seen all three men in the manioc- 
fields, a few moments before. I then sent off Omaha 



DIABY 153 

and six of the Soudanese soldiers in the opposite direc- ^^^^^L 
tion, to prevent any of the Zanzibaris in camp from yambu ' 
giving warning to the thieves, mth orders to turn back 
from the manioc-fields and return to camp. I ran up and 
told Selim Mahommed where the prisoners were, and 
he at once sent oif men for them. They were beauti- 
fully caught, for they found my Soudanese men outside 
them, and Selim's men coming at them from the camp. 
The little old man and Bartholomew were captured, 
and men are now after Msa. I have placed the sergeant, 
who allowed the prisoners to escape, under arrest until 
the Major's return. Sketched a tortoise Omaha brought 
me. 

October 21st. — Sent off a letter to Barttelot, telling 
him that Msa is still at large. The Zanzibaris are the 
laziest and most heartless lot of men I have ever come 
across. I found them to-day taking the wooden head- 
stones out of the graveyard for fire-wood, rather than go 
a few yards further on to where there was plenty. 
Selim tells me that Tippu-Tib's men have taken Basoko, 
getting a good deal of ivory and some guns. 

Octoher 22nd. — Sent out the Soudanese after Msa 
again to-day, but they returned without having seen 
him. 

Sunday^ Oct. 2%rd. — Shot a beautiful specimen of the 
chanting falcon this morning, and made a sketch of it. 
Selim Mahommed has a most excellent plan of trading 
with the natives. He first of all captures a number of 
men, and then every day they are sent out to gather 
two loads of manioc, the one for food, the other to buy 
fish from the natives. Of course all the manioc really 
belongs to the natives, but he does not let them take 
it, so they have to buy it from him with fish, or what- 
ever else they have that he requires. It really amounts 
to the same as going into a man's shop, turning him 
out into the street, and then selling him his o^vn 
goods. Assad Farran tells me that Selim Mahommed 
has sold to one of the Soudanese sergeants a young slave- 



154 STORY OP THE BEAR COLUMN. 

(M^li. ^i^l ^or a cloth overcoat. I am going to fire her out of 
Zambuya. ^^^ camp, and allow them then to settle the mattei 
themselves. The men had their usual half-holiday. 

October IMh. — All the men at work repairing the 
main boma, and getting grass for houses. 

October 2bt]i. — The camp is now almost completely 
finished, and there is little or nothing for the men to 
do. One of the Soudanese soldiers died yesterday. 

October 2Uh. — Tippu-Tib, according to Selim Ma- 
hommed, has been back at the Falls some time. Whole 
armies of ants attacked some of the houses of the 
Zanzibaris to-day, rendering them quite uninhabitable, 
but they left them again this evening. 

October 21th, — We had just finished lunch when a 
Zanzibari, whom I did not recognize, came into the 
camp, walking frightfully lame, and dragging himself 
by the aid of a pole ; he sat down outside my house. 
It turned out he was the wounded deserter from Mr. 
Stanley. He has been badly stabbed through both legs. 
I have made two examinations of him. He says they 
were two months and a half with Stanley before they 
deserted, and twenty days in the canoe coming down 
river. Only seven deserted according to him, and picked 
up the eighth man on the island. They escaped by going 
ahead of the column when on the march, and, purposely 
taking the wrong road, lay down in the grass to 
hide. They had seven rifies with them, but lost one. 
They also brought an enormous number of spears and 
knives, which they took from the native villages. At 
one village which Mr. Stanley entered, the natives ran 
away when the guns were fired, but returned again and 
attacked them. Nelson shot two, but was hit by an 
arrow in the chest, and was ill for some time, having to 
go in the boat, but all were well when they deserted. 
A long distance from here this river turns to the south- 
east, where another river, equally large, runs into it 
from due east. Mr. Stanley had on ome occasion told 
them that it did not matter if they all ran away, he 



DIABT, 157 

would reach the Lake. The natives brought this ^-^^^L 
deserter in a canoe as far as the rapids yesterday, from yambuya 
which point he dragged himself here. The names of 
the two deserters now here are Dahoma and Mufta. 
Selim Mahommed came down to tell me that two of his 
men had been badly stabbed by natives not far from 
camp, and he wished to know if we could do anything 
for them. They met two natives, one of whom sat 
down with them in quite a friendly manner, but after 
talking for a bit he suddenly jumped up, pulled out 
his knife, and stabbed the two Arabs, one in the chest, 
the other in the stomach. They say that they killed 
him, but I do not believe it, for their wounds are too 
bad. Bonny and I went up to see them. The man 
stabbed in the stomach was very bad, a large portion of 
the entrails protruding from the wound, and he has not 
a shadow of chance, for the entrails themselves are 
badly cut; however, after much difficulty, Bonny suc- 
ceeded in pushing them back again, and sewed up the 
wound. The other man had a large wound in the left 
breast. Were other natives as plucky as the man 
who assaulted these two Arabs, the slaves would not be 
so easily captured ! 

October 2^th. — Strange to say, the man who was stabbed 
in the stomach was much better this morning. I shot a 
yellow wagtail and two spine-tailed swifts. The wagtail 
I have been after for some time, and the swifts were 
really sporting shots, flying very fast at a great height. 
One of the Soudanese was bitten by a snake ; the bite 
is a nasty one on the ankle, with the marks of the fangs 
very wide apart. We put a tourniquet on above the 
wound, cut it open, and burned it with a red-hot ram- 
rod. We had no ammonia. The leg was very little 
swollen, but the man complained of pains in the stomach 
and left side, especially over the heart. As far as I 
could see, he was suffering more from fright than any- 
thing else. The snake was described as a small, thin, 
red one ; the marks of the fangs were about an inch and 
a half apart. I have never in my life spent such an 



158 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN, 

oTks ^^^^^^Y useless four months, and I hope I may never 

Yambuya. ^^^^ ^^ ^0 SO again. 

October 2^th. — ^Theman who was stabbed in the stomach 
is to-day walking about, fetching wood and water. I 
have heard of miracles before, but never seen one until 
now! I found my boy Mufta, whom I was really 
beginning to trust, had been stealing my salt, so I had 
to recur to the only method to make a nigger honest, 
and gave him fifty well-applied strokes. It is only 
through fear that one can make them speak the truth. 

October 30^A. — Another axe is missing to-day, and a 
spade, so I stopped all the men's payment until they 
are produced. At 3.30 this afternoon Barttelot came 
into camp, all by himself, having come ahead of his 
men. Troup he had left at Yalisula, with Salem 
Masudi the interpreter, to come on with the goats and 
fowls. They had 16 goats and 52 fowls when the 
Major left. There is no hope of getting men ffom 
Kassongo, as Sefo has some war going on there. The 
Major says Tippu-Tib was greatly pleased with the rifle 
I gave him, and had sent me a present of two goats. 
They seem to have had a very pleasant time at the 
Falls, and enjoyed their trip very much. The five de- 
serters from Stanley are coming on here with Troup. 
They give the most contradictory reports about Stanley, 
and about the amount of food they found on the road. 
Tippu-Tib does not seem to be playing a straight game, 
and the Major thinks that he is probably hanging back 
on the chance of Stanley having eventually to place the 
whole thing in his hands for so much powder and a 
lump sum. 

October 31s#. — Four of our men went up to the village 
where Selim Mahommed's Arabs had been stabbed in 
search of plantains, when the natives seized one of 
them, and were going to kill and eat him, as they 
thought he belonged to the Arabs. They have been 
driven out of their village on the mainland and are now 
living on an island. As soon as our man succeeded in 



DIARY, 159 

making them understand that he was one of Mr. Stanley's f}^Vt 
men, and not Tippu-Tib's, they let him go. It is a good Yambu a 
point in favour of the natives, that they will not willingly 
molest any of our men. The Major to-day released the 
two deserters -from Stanley, and the thief, but Bartho- 
lomew is still in chains. One of the Soudanese was 
reported dead, and a burying party was told off, when 
he suddenly came to life again, and is still alive. Selim 
Mahommed sent to the natives on the island, who 
stabbed his two men, to tell them that he will spare 
them if they will send him two large tusks of ivory, 
but if not he will annihilate them. 

November 1st. — Ungungu, the native chief, paid Selim 
Mahommed in ivory to-day for some of his captured 




women. When Selim Mahommed first came here, he 
talked a great deal about making our camp into a 
permanent station after we leave it, as they wished to 
settle all the natives and live amongst them. However, 
the other day he showed his true colours, when, in reply 
to some remarks of the Major's about what a good camp 
it would be for them, and a sudden inquiry as to whether 
he really was going to occupy it, he exclaimed, " Oh, no ! 
there is very little ivory about here ! " Directly they find 
ivory scarce amongst the natives, and that they cannot 
ransom their captured women, the Arabs at once move 
on to pastures new. 

November 2nd. — This morning Major B. had a long in- 
terview with the deserter who is stabbed through the 
legs. He told us that a very long way from here they had 



1887. 

Not. 2. 

Yambuys* 



160 



STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 



come to a native village in which some of Tippu-Tib's 
Arabs are living. They made friends all round, and 
Stanley bought fowls and goats. Next morning, when 
they started, he found that fifty men had deserted, and 
not a trace of the Arabs was to be found. He also 
said that a great many men had died on the road, and 
a great many loads had been lost through the upsetting 




01 tne boat in the rapids, which naa occurred several 
times. All the donkeys were dead except two. Mr. 
Stanley would not allow the men to loot the native 
gardens and villages, and therefore they were very short 
of food. Salem, the interpreter, arrived shortly after 
lunch, and Major B.'s luggage some time afterwards ; 
the men carrying it said that Troup was some distance 
behind, but would be in to-day. However, he did not 
make his appearance by daylight. We had just finished 
our pipes after dinner, when we heard fiYe shots fired in 
rapid succession, either from a revolver or a Winchester, 
not far from camp. Then came several dropping shots, 
which we answered. I started ofi" with Omaha, think- 
ing that Troup was either in trouble with the natives 
or lost in the bush, and found him about half an hour 
from camp, stuck in a cane-swamp (having lost his way), 
with fifteen goats and about forty fowls in baskets. 
The air was blue all about the swamp with the bad 
language that had been used in many tongues. Great 



DIARY. 161 

were the curses hurled against Salem, the interpreter, -^q^\ 
for leaving them without a proper guide ; however, we y^Q^buya 
got them all into the path, and safe into camp. 

November 3r<^. — Barttelot told Selim Mahommed to- 
day that it would be much better if Salem, the interpreter, 
did not come inside our camp at all, in consequence of 
the many unpleasantnesses that have occurred since 
leaving here for the Falls. Selim Mahommed told us 
that Tippu-Tib had written to him, telling him that as 
soon as Sheik Mahommed Ali arrived here, he was to 
leave for the Falls, in order to go up to Kassongo, and 
bring down the six hundred carriers Tippu-Tib is trying 
to get from there. He afterwards brought down the 
boy Farani, whom Tippu has sent me as a present to 
keep as long as I like, either to take to England or to 
send to Zanzibar, whichever I chose. It appears that 
the Major and Troup have been fearfully taken in about 
the payment for the goats. They paid three pieces of 
handkerchief for each, quite double their valae, all 
being small, and a number of them kids. 

November 4:th. — Msa turned up in the charge of some of 
Tippu-Tib's Arabs. AJi Mahommed, Tippu-Tib's chief 
sheik at the Falls, arrived, also the chief of Yambau. 
Selim Mahommed is going away the day after to-morrow, 
and all his men cross to the other side of the river, so 
we shall be left alone again. Ali Mahommed brought 
the Major a young antelope, which I think must be a 
bush buck. It is alive, but too young to live without 
milk, so I am going to kill it and preserve the skin. 
Salem Masudi, the interpreter, left for the Falls to-day, 
evidently in high dudgeon. Both the Major and 
Troup had to use very plain language to him on their 
trip to the Falls. He is one of those men who, sooner 
than remain silent, lie, simply to make conversation. 
Captured a lovely goliath beetle this morning, the first 
I have seen here, and another rare beetle figured in 
Herr Pogge's work. 

November ^th.— The Major left it to Troup, Bonny, 

M 



162 STOUT OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 

Nov^' Ward, and myself to tiy, and pass sentence on, Msa and 
Yambuya B^i^tliolomew. I proposed working them hard every 
day in chains, as I am sick of flogging, but the other 
three proposed 150 lashes each, and as they are in the 
majority, that sentence will be administered to-morrow 
morning. Selim Mahommed leaves to-morrow for the 
Falls, and is to start immediately from thence to Kas- 
songo to collect carriers for ns. We had sat down to 
dinner, when Bonny noticed a light in the other store, 
and upon going over, discovered his boy and Troup's 
filling a large basket with manioc fiour out of one of 
our bags. They were placed in the guard-room for the 
night, and there will be more flogging to-morrow. 

November 6th. — Major Barttelot postponed the pri- 
soners' punishment till to-morrow morning, but the two 
boys received thirty lashes each. 

November 7th. — Msa took his 150 lashes, Bartho- 
lomew only 75, as he is still tender from his last 
flogging. Shot a beautiful paradise flycatcher, and a 
small barbet with lovely turquoise wattles round its eyes. 
Troup and the Major very seedy. 

November Sth. — There is the beginning of what might 
be a very serious disagreement between the Arabs and 
ourselves. They are beginning to prevent the natives 
trading with us. Both yesterday and to-day, when 
Omaha was sent to buy honey and fish, the Arabs 
interfered and prevented the natives selling him any- 
thing. The Major spoke to the Arab left in charge 
of Selim Mahommed's men, and told him that if it 
occurred again he should send at once to Tippu-Tib, 
and make a formal complaint. 

November ^th. — Omaha crossed to the native village, 
accompanied by the Arab left in charge by Selim 
Mahommed, but returned with only a small pot of 
palm-oil. It now appears that a few days ago he had 
some dispute with the natives in a canoe, and threw 
stones at them, and now they wiU sell him nothing. 
The natives say if we send another man, not Omaha, 



DFART. 163 

they will sell to him. This, it seems, ^s the real reason ■J^^'^a 
why he got nothing yesterday. Yambuya. 

Glorious news, if it only turns out to be true ! A 
white man (or men) is coming down the river with a 
large party, some in canoes, some on land, and they will 
be here in three days' time. This must be Stanley or 
messengers from him. Thank God, there are now 
hopes of doing something at last. The day I hear we 
have to go up to the Lake, I shall certainly do a dance 
round my old helmet and jump upon it 1 The Major 
has a bad touch of fever. 

November 10th. — Natives still tell the same tale about 
the white man and many followers coming down the 
river. We are all in great spirits at the prospect of 
making a move at last ! Had the fence round our 
graveyard repaired to-day, and new headstones, or rather 
sticks, placed to all the graves, which now number 
twenty-five. 

November 11th. — To-day all our hopes were scattered 
to the winds. The chief Arab informed us that the 
news of Stanley's approach is false. A large party of 
Arabs, the chief of whom is almost white, passed through 
here some time ago, and went up the river on an ivory 
and slave-hunting expedition, and it is their return to 
which the natives refer. Sketched a couple of barbets. 
The Major is better. A Zanzibari died to-day, making 
the 26th mound in our graveyard. 

November 12th. — Shot a small squirrel, of which I 
made a sketch life-size. Began building a large new 
house to-day, half of it for a mess-room, the other half 
as the Major's dwelling-house. 

November 13th. — Had to lie up all day. Full of 
rheumatism. 

November lith^ 

to > Laid up vrith jaundice. 

November 3Qth. J 

m2 



164 STOBY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

1887. December 1st. — Yesterday for the first time I was 

Tambu a ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ ^ short Walk up and down the road, and 
join the others at meals. The Arabs left behind by Selim 
Mahommed have been giving a great deal of trouble for 
some time, by preventing the natives from selling us 
food. They tried to make us buy things through them- 
selves, of course at treble value. At last Major Bart- 
telot determined to send a letter to Tippu-Tib, and ask 
him to set matters straight. Ward accordingly started 
on the 19th November, and got back here yesterday 
evening. Tippu-Tib had started for Kassongo five days 
before his arrival at the Falls. The Arabs assured 
Ward he had gone to collect men for Mr. Stanley. 
Selim Mahommed said he would return here himself in 
a few days. After all Ward need never have left, as a 
few days after his departure for the Falls all the Arabs 
went down river to " make war," as they call it, with 
some village near Basoko. Troup has been very ill; 
at one time it was quite serious, but yesterday, thank 
goodness, he began to mend. Ward brought about 
forty eggs with him from the Falls, so he ought to pull 
himself together with them. Last night the men killed 
a poisonous snake, which I have made sketches of. It 
measured 5 ft. 9 in. Whilst writing this I heard a 
great uproar, and on going out found they had killed 
another snake, similar to the one I killed in Ward's 
house. There is one in my house, and I hear him 
chasing the rats all round the place at night, but have 
not yet seen him. No news of Mr. Stanley. 

December 2nd. — A whole half and a separate leg of a 
goat were stolen from Ward's house last night. Some 
of the picked bones were discovered in the camp close 
to the Soudanese quarters. This is the most daring 
robbery they have yet attempted. 

December ord. — The greater part of the meat was dis- 
covered in the thatch of the hut of Burgari Mahommed, 
the suspected Soudanese sentry. He was at once put 
under arrest, when he accused Muledi, the Major's 
boy, of having actually stolen it, a most improbable 



DIAEY. 165 

tale. Last night the snakes made a regular attack -^^f^^ 
on the camp, and I heard this morning of five having yambuya 
been killed. The natives on the other side of the river 
had quite a gala afternoon, canoe-racing, manoeuvering, 
dancing, singing, and tomtoming to any extent. One 
of my men died to-day. Several of the men in camp 
are only walking skeletons, and the marvel is how they 




exist or move at all. One man, who walks with rather 
an active upright motion, is a horrible sight, having 
nothing but loose folds of skin over his bones. 

December 4dh. — Burgari Mahommed was flogged to- 
day, before all the men. The Soudanese are wonder- 
fully plucky in bearing pain, for although he received 
150 strokes, which cut him up very much, he never 
uttered a sound. One of the Zanzibaris from Bolobo 
died, making thirty deaths. Had my first good night's 
sleep for a long time, and woke up quite a new man. 

Lecemher 5th. — I was perfectly right in thinking that 
Barttelot's boy, Muledi, had not stolen the meat, for 
to-day Burgari Mahommed confessed that he had lied, 
and that the boy had not taken it. 



166 



STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 



1887. 
Deo. 6 

Yambuja. 



December 6 <?/?.— Every day that passes without news 
of Stanley makes me think that he has persuaded Emin 
Bey to come out with him by this route, and then 
across to Zanzibar by Tippu-Tib's route. It is perfectly 
sickening to think of it all. Here am I within nine 
days of having been six months in this camp ! Had I 
ever dreamt of such a thing, I would certainly never have 
joined the Expedition. There is not a new variety of 
bird, beast, fish, or insect to give a moment's excitement 
to the naturalist's side of my nature ; and the deadly 
monotony of an existence, for it cannot be called living, 
may be imagined, in which the only incident to be 
noted is the occasional flogging of a man. 

Decemher 7th. — A Soudanese soldier died to-day, the 
31st death in this camp. When one of them gets 
really sick here, his comrades will not do one single 
thing to help him, unless positively ordered to do so ; 
and yet these are the very men who, on the march, 
from Matadi to the Pool, swore that they would rather 
remain behind than desert a sick comrade, and if a 
man fell out, two or three more fell out with him at 
once, according to their oath, making Major Barttelot 
mad with the constant delays. Dinner to-night con- 
sisted of plain boiled rice and fried plantains, ditto for 
breakfast. 

December Sth. — Heavy rain. Spent great part of the 
day in drawing Cliristmas cards to give to the other 




officers on Christmas Day. To-night, flianks to Ward 
who is mess-president, we had the best dinner I have 
eaten since we left the coast. Since he has taken over 



DIARY. 167 

the mess, there is great improvement in the cooking in ^^^'^• 
every way. ^2\.u,^ 

December Wi. — Two more deaths. Shot two very 
handsome plovers, chocolate-coloured breasts, and bright 
lemon-coloured wattles over the eyes. The Major told 
me that he had heard to-day that Tippu-Tib sent mes- 
sengers after Stanley, who had followed his route nearly 
to the Lake, as far as he could gather, but that they 
could hear nothing of him. He seems to think this 
bad news, but I consider it good, for it proves that 
Stanley must have got on at a good pace ; had he been 
stopped anywhere, they would have heard of it. 

Decemher Wth. — Another Zanzibari from Bolobo 
died. Ward has been sketching some of our living 
skeletons. A great many of them have a most horrible 
disease. They break out all over in pimples, which 
gradually grow together and form great sores. Others 
have their legs covered with large ulcers, and out of all 
the men in camp there are not more than 130 who 
could carry loads. 

December 11th. — Some of Selim Mahommed's men 
have arrived, ^wiih orders to build him a house, so he 
really is coming. It is a great nuisance, as we get on 
so much better without him and his men. The first 
birth we have had in camp took place to-day. One of 
the goats had a kid, and both mother and child are 
doing well. 

December 12th. — Another of the Zanzibaris from 
Bolobo died to-day. In the morning Bonny had told 
one of his men to cook some food for the sick in his 
company, and also told him to bring the food, so that 
he might see it given to the sick. When the man 
brought it, he went up to the huts where the sick are, 
and, after seeing some of them, he turned to one of the 
huts and said, " Who is in here '? ", at the same time 
pushing the door open, and was astonished to find a 
man inside dead and quite cold. When asked, they 
said it was not long since they had attended to him ; 



168 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

Dec^i2 ^^^ ^ expect the truth is they had not seen him since 
yambuya. J^sterday. Unless made to do it, they would not move 

a hand to help a sick man, but just leave him to die, 

even if he were their own brother. 

Becemher IZth. — As Troup was ill on his birthday, 
we had the great dinner to-day which we intended to 
have had on that festival, as Barttelot said the loth of 
this month is a great day with him. Dined off soup, 
roast shoulder of goat, and a roUy-poly pudding. Troup 
supplied a pot of jam, and the Major and I gave the 
flour, which constituted the whole of one of our tins, 
or one man's allowance for six months. No news what- 
ever of Stanley. If he is bringing out Emin Bey and his 
ivory, that would certainly delay him a good deal. 

December lith. — Spent part of the day in making a 
sketch from one of Ward's drawings of a Soudanese 
soldier. Both in the morning and evening I took a 
stroll with my gun, but did not get a shot or see a bird 
to shoot at, that I have not already got. Not a single 
thing of interest to make a note of. The monotony of 
this camp life, without one atom of sport or excitement 
of any kind to relieve it, is becoming perfectly sickening. 

December \bth. — I find the average temperature here 
to be from 72° to 85° in the shade, up to 110° in the 
sun ; very seldom lower than 72° or higher than 85° in 
the shade. Lowest temperature at night 69°. Bart- 
telot brought me a lovely beetle to-day, a longicorn. 
It is quite new to me, and I believe I put the female 
into spirits this morning without taking much note of 
it. This day six months ago we arrived at Yambuya ! 

December IWi. — The natives across the river killed 
an elephant yesterday; they have done nothing but 
feast ever since. Killed a tortoise to-day; it has a 
beautiful shell, which I shall take home. Made a 
sketch of his head, which looks like that of some 
antediluvian monster. 



DIAMT, 169 

Decemher VJth. — Troup, the Major, and I all dreamt ■r}^\» 
of Stanley's return the night before last. Troup dreamt ^^. 
that he came back by himself, without any of the other 
white officers, and when asked where they were he 
quite calmly remarked that he did not know, and evi- 
dently did not care, merely saying that they had each . 
chosen their own road, and he knew nothing about 
them. The Major dreamt that he arrived at camp 
looking jolly and well ; that William, his servant, came 
inside our boma, when the Major at once ordered him 
out, and proceeded himself to Mr. Stanley's tent, and 
found him with a lawyer, upon which he at once re- 
marked, " Oh, you are for the Crown, I won't say any- 
thing ;" and the dream ended. I dreamt that we saw a 
number of canoes coming down the river in a long line, 
and in one of them a large white umbrella, and I at 
once saw that it was Mr. Stanley, at which moment I 
awoke. 

December ISfh. — Shot the handsomest sunbirds 1 
have yet seen, much resembling some I got in the 
Mashona country. 

December IWi, — Two deaths in camp to-day. Cut 
open the throat of a goat which was dying. It ap- 
peared healthy, with the exception of the lungs, where 
there was a black spot, which when opened proved to 
be a regular cell ; inside this again was an egg-shaped 
semi-transparent body, with a white worm inside, and 
two black marks on it, caused by some body of that 
colour, inside, near the outer shell. There were no 
signs of inflammation about the black spots on the 
lungs, and the cells were completely buried in the 
lung itself. The two sunbirds I shot yesterday were 
evidently breeding, for the hen had fully developed 
eggs inside her, and yet the cock was quite a young 
bird in immature plumage, which makes me think 
that they must rear more than one brood in the 
year. I notice the chanting falcon is still going about 
single, and has not paired again since I shot its mate 
about two months ago. I tried to kill a splendid 



170 STOBY OF THE BEAU COLUMN. 

Dec^i9 emerald-green snake to-day, but it escaped through the 
rambuya. ^oma ou to the river-bauk. The men commenced this 
afternoon to put up the frames of the house for Stanley's 
men when they come back. 

Lecemher 20th. — Succeeded in getting three beetles 
to-day, quite new to me, one of them a very beautifully 
marked longicorn. Our days are divided by break- 
fast, lunch, and dinner, which, in their turn, are regu- 
lated by the sun, as there is only one watch that goes 
— ^Troup's — and that only goes by fits and starts. It is 
very like life at sea, the same deadly monotony, only 
broken by intervals of eating. 

Lecemher 21st. — Shot a beautiful golden cuckoo, 
larger than any I have seen before, a large blue and 
white kinghunter, and found two longicorns quite new 
to me. The men are cutting poles for the new houses, 
and the beetles are all to be found on the piles of freshly 
cut poles. According to Selim Mahommed's orders, 
the Arabs this morning captured Ungungu, the native 
chief, and put him in chains as hostage, until his people 
begin to build their village on this side, and commence 
a regular market, which they promised to do long ago. 
The natives, to retaliate, seized one of our men, who 
was gathering manioc, thinking he was an Arab. 
Daodi, hearing him scream, ran to his assistance ; but 
the natives seized him then, letting the first man go, as 
they recognized him to be one of ours ; but Daodi they 
said was an Arab, and took hha across to the other side 
of the river. We at once sent for the chief of the 
Arabs, and told him to take Ungungu down to the side 
of the river, and make him shout across to his people 
to let Daodi go. This they did, and he was at once 
brought back across the river and released. The natives 
will not willingly interfere with any of our men ; but 
they distinguish them with difficulty from the Arabs, 
whom they hate, and justly. 

December 22nd. — Shot a pair of swallows I have been 
after a long, long time. I have never seen more than 



DIARY. 171 



1887. 
Dec. 22. 



the pair here, and they arrived about a month after we 

came ; they are a much brighter blue than any swallows Yambuy^ 

I have ever seen before. 

December 23rd. — One of my men brought me a very 
curious mole. Its fur is a beautiful light grey, which, 
in the sun, has many opal tints. The hair is stiff, and 
shines exactly like unplucked otter or beaver. We 
are making preparations for our Christmas dinner. 
Barttelot and I are contributing a tin of ilour (our last) 
and a tin of jam; Ward gives a tin of flour, and Troup 
a ham, a bottle of prunes, a tin of marmalade, a bottle 
of pickles, and some English mustard, a thing I have 
not tasted since we left the steamer. 

JDecemher 2itk. — Our Christmas goat was killed at 
daybreak, and he is the largest and finest I have 
ever seen, and just as good to eat as he looks. Ward 
and I both made sketches of his head. We gave the 
men a half-holiday, and shall give them a whole one 
to-morrow. 

December 2^th. — Christmas Day has come and gone, 
and I must say it was a much pleasanter one than I 
ever anticipated. Great were our efforts in the cooking 
line, and singing after dinner, and I noticed that songs 
of a more sober nature than usual, and those which 
reminded one of home, were by far the most popular. 
Troup gave us a beautiful ham, which, with cold mutton 
in the morning, made a capital breakfast. For lunch 
we had a meat pudding, consisting of five eggs, parrots 
(species unknown, but good), tAvo small doves, and a 
chicken (same size), ham finely chopped up, suet and 
mutton (Christmas name for goat), onions, pickles, and 
a little Worcester sauce ; the whole enveloped in a 
blanket of dough and boiled. This pudding was cer- 
tainly one of the best I have ever eaten anywhere. We 
all took violent walking exercise when the sun sank 
low enough to admit of it. Our dinner consisted of 
soup, mutton steaks done on the gridiron, a roast leg of 
mutton which no one tried to eat. reserving themselves 



172 STOBY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

1887.^ for the pudding, which was a superb roUy-poly made 
Yambuja ^'^^^ raspberry jam. The whole dinner was an immense 
success, and we gave a hearty vote of thanks to Ward, 
who superintended everything, and made both puddings 
himself. There were still about two glasses of brandy 
left in the two bottles Mr. Stanley left the Major and 
me when he went away, so there was just enough to 
give each of us a taste after dinner, and I don't think a 
drink was ever more appreciated. We tried to make 
the day a happy one for the men too, giving them a 
whole holiday and a present of two matakas and twelve 
cowries to each man, and three matakas and eighteen 
cowries to all the muniaparas ; to Assad Farran we 
gave a lot of meat and a cupful of salt, and I gave 
him and each of the Soudanese officers a piece of 
tobacco. My Christmas cards to the other officers were 
a great success, and Ward gave me a bar of soap, which 
is simply invaluable. My only pipe was just burnt 
through, and what was my delight when Troup made 
me a present of a new one! We all regretted Mr. 
Stanley's party not being with us, and many were our 
speculations as to how and where they were spending 
their Christmas. 

December 2Qth. — Feasting again to-day, but after that 
we shall have to go down to our old rations of rice and 
plantains, with an occasional bit of fish. There are 
only four boxes of biscuits left to do until we get to 
Zanzibar, so we have determined not to touch them 
until Mr. Stanley's return. Those four boxes represent 
the whole of our bread-stuff for the rest of the Expe- 
dition, and yet there were over twenty boxes left lying 
at Leopoldville. Gave the men another holiday to-day. 
The chief of Selim Mahommed's men here informed me 
that the natives had refused to come over and build a 
village, or start a market. I wish they would leave the 
natives alone, as we get on perfectly well without any 
Arab interference. 

December 27th. — Shot a beautiful sparrow or finch 
which I have never seen anywhere except here. Head, 



DIABT, 173 

ueck, bieast, and some way down the back and sides are j.^^L 
bright, dark, crimson ; all the rest of the bird is a beau- Yambu a. 
tiful velvety-black. I have seen several of them here, 
and shot two, but lost them in the long grass. It has 
suddenly dawned upon me since that it is a cardinal 
grosbeak, only a young bird. Hard at work all day 
writing out my bird-notes. 

Becemher 2Sth. — This morning, about two or three 
o'clock, I was wakened out of a sound sleep by a great 
yelling amongst the Arabs outside the camp. On going 
out I heard loud singing proceeding from a large canoe 
which was going down the river, on the opposite side, 
and it was at this canoe that the yells of the Arabs were 
evidently directed. After a time a gun was fired below 
our camp, and then all was still. This morning we 
heard the following story: — Yesterday the Arabs cap- 
tured a large canoe from a village down river, and took 
it up to a small camp they have formed just above us. 
This morning at about three o'clock, when the moon 
was shining brightly, some natives came up from the 
village in a canoe and surprised the Arabs who were 
asleep in the captured canoe, and who were supposed 
to be guarding it. According to one version of the tale, 
there were five men in the canoe, of whom three 
escaped without wounds, one escaped badly stabbed, 
and the fifth was killed or taken captive by the natives. 
The other account said there were three men in the 
canoe, of whom one was taken prisoner, the second 
stabbed, and the third killed. Both stories agree on 
one point, that the natives captured four guns. The 
Arab chief came and asked if we could do anything for 
the wounded man, so Bonny went up after breakfast, 
and found him lying with a very severe cut in the 
stomach, through which about four yards of the intes- 
tines were protruding. He had received two other bad 
stabs on the left side. Bonny succeeded in sewing 
up the cuts, but as the man Avas bleeding internally I 
don't think there is a chance of his living. How he 
ever succeeded in escaping by swimming after receiving 



174 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

D^-^28 ^^^^ wounds, and still to be alive, is a perfect marvel 
to me, but I can believe anything respecting the re- 
covery of these men, after seeing the recovery of the 
last man that Bonny sewed up. Khamis, Jephson s 
boy, who was left behind sick, when Stanley went away, 
died to-day. He has been nothing but a living skeleton 
for the last four months, and it is a wonder that he has 
lived so long. This makes the thirty-ninth death in 
camp. 

December 2^th. — Another of the little boys, Abadi, 
died to-day. He and Khamis lived in a house we 
had built specially for them, and they have both been 
ill ever since last June. Curiously enough, I said to 
the Major last night, " You will see that Abadi will die 
almost immediately, for I have always noticed that 
where there are two people together, who have both 
been ill for a long time, when one dies the other is 
almost sure to follow." I hear that the natives from 
down river have captured four more Arabs, and the 
chief came to-day to know if we would help them to 
attack the natives, but if they choose to slave-hunt, 
I do not see that we have anything to do with it. 
The man that Bonny sewed up yesterday died to-day ; 
the marvel is that he lived so long In the evening 
I took a walk through the manioc plantations, and suc- 
ceeded in obtaining one of the large swifts which I may 
say I have been after for months. I have fired at them 
several times, but they fly at such a height that I have 
to use very large shot, and this, combined with their 
very swift flight, makes it difiicult to shoot them. 

December 3 Of A. — This morning we heard three shots 
fired in quick succession, just above the camp, and 
saw a canoe rapidly paddling across to the other side 
with a few natives in it. When half-way across a 
number of canoes came to meet them from the opposite 
bank, and we saw a man lifted out of the first canoe 
and placed in one of the others, when they all returned 
to the village. Presently some of the Arabs from up 
river arrived and told us what had happened. It seems 



Dec. 30. 
Yambuya, 



DIABY. lib 

that the Arabs asked some natives in a canoe if they 1887. 
knew anything about the four missing men. They 
replied, in a jeering tone, " Oh, we have made soup of 
them," upon which the Arabs at once fired into the 
canoe, killing one man and wounding another. The 
Arabs then all went to the village down river. The 
Major started off after lunch with two of the Soudanese 
to see what had happened, but he had not gone far 
before he met the Arabs returning with one native 
prisoner. They said they had found the village de- 
serted, but had captured this man, who told them that 
Ungungu (after having been released by the Arabs) 
had gone down there and captured three of their men, 
and wounded the fourth. The Major told the Arabs 
that if they would leave Ungungu alone, he would try 
and get him over here, and recover the men, if they were 
not already eaten. This morning a dead body was dis- 
covered in the river close in to the bank of our camp ; it 
was that of one of Tippu-Tib's men who was with Sheik 
Abdullah a long way up this river. He was tied to a 
stick and was horribly wounded. 

December %lst. — 1887 passes away to-night, and here 
we are still in Yambuya Camp. The last six months 
have been the most miserable and useless I have ever 
spent anywhere, and goodness knows when it is going to 
end. Barttelot means to go to Stanley Falls at the end of 
the second week in January (if he hears that Tippu-Tib 
has returned from Kassongo), and ask him finally if he 
has got all the men for us, and if not, how many he can 
let us have. If he can give us a hundred men, the 
Major will then start with them and the fittest men in 
camp, leaving two white officers in charge here, and 
go on Stanley's route to find out what he is doing; 
so that, whether Mr. Stanley returns or not, there is a 
chance of our making some kind of move at last. Had 
it not been for odd little bits of collecting and drawing, 
which filled up a lot of my time, I think I certainly 
should have become an idiot here. None of us can 
summon up interest enough to sit up and see the old 



176 



STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 



1887. 
Dec. 31. 

Yambuya 



year out, and the new year in, and I must say there 
is very little inducement to do so. We had a great 
number of ripe plantains, so we determined to make 
some plantain beer or malafu. The only vessel large 
enough for the purpose was my bath, which is a large 
zinc-lined biscuit-box, so we made it in that, but no 
one has had the courage to drink it yet. This finishes 
this book, and my diary for the old year, 1887. 








Me. Jameson, dkawn by H. Waed, 



CHAPTER VI. 

1888. — Januae,y 1st to February 13th:. 

New Year's Day. — Natives return with captured Arab. — Barttelot and 
Jameson have palaver with natives. — Natives consult the oracles and 
inspect white men. — More reports from Stanley's deserters. — Assad 
Farran sees a whale. — Visit from Arab Venuses. — Sobarus Poggei beetle. 
— Dead bodies floating- down river. — Wretched state of Zanzibaris in 
camp. — One fifth of entire force lost. — Goliath beetle. — Conversation 
vdthSelim Mahommed. — Probable dangers to Mr, Stanley's force from 
death and desertion. — Arabs attack natives. — Arabs fight among them- 
selves. — Natives steal canoes from Arabs. — Anniversary of Jameson's 
wedding. — More raids on the natives. — Burgari Mahommed at large. — 
Natives eat captured Arabs. — Burgari captured, and shot. 

January Ist^ 1888, Sunday. — We have begun the New isss. 
Year with one of the finest days I think I have ever seen. ^^^' ^' 
We made a mild attempt at feasting, having meat at 
every meal, prunes at luncheon, and a rolly-poly at 
dinner. Troup presented the mess with a tin of flour, 
one of jam, and one of prunes. I am sorry to say the 
rolly-poly was not quite such a success as the last^ for 

N 



Yambuva. 



178 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

J^SS- the flour was a trifle musty, but I noticed that we ate 
Tambu a ^^^^ ^^ much of it, uoue the less. I had just sat down 
to skin some birds this morning, when the natives 
arrived opposite to the camp in a canoe, with one of 
Tippu-Tib's captured people in it. They said that if 
one of us white men would come over to their village, 
and hold a palaver with them, they would hand over 
the three men and the guns to us. Major Barttelot 
then sent for the Arab head-man and told him that, 
if he would allow the natives to fish in peace, and 
promise not to molest them in any way, he would 
get the men back. He agreed to this. The natives then 
asked for a white man to go to a landing-place higher 
up the river, Avithout any of the Arabs, as they wanted 
to speak to us. Major Barttelot and I went up the 
river, and after waiting some time, a canoe arrived with 
some natives in it, and one of the captives with his 
arms bound. At first they were in a great fright about 
coming near the shore, but eventually did so, and told 
us that all their chiefs were up the river, but that if we 
would come to the same place to-morrow morning 
early, they would bring a large canoe to take us over to 
the other side, as the chiefs would then have arrived. 
We told them we would be there, and left, after buy- 
ing some fish from them. I am sure that although 
we may obtain for the natives a short time of peace, the 
Arabs will have a terrible day of reckoning with them 
when we leave. 

January 2nd. — Spent a most interesting forenoon. 
The Major and I started after breakfast up the river 
to wait for the canoe to take us across to the native 
village for the big palaver about their Arab prisoners. 
After waiting quite half-an-hour, two natives came 
across in an old canoe with one end broken, and in a 
shocking condition, so we told them they must get 
another. This one arrived in an equally broken-doAvn 
state ; the nose being smashed off, the smallest waves came 
in, and a hole was in the side, over which one native had 
to hold his hand in order to prevent the canoe from 



DIABY. 181 

filling. Into this one we ^ot, and crossed over. We }^^\ 
tound a small piece oi ground, under some trees, swept YambuvE 
clean, and they brought us stools to sit on. Presently 
a great crowd collected, men, women, and children. 
The men nearly all had their knives, and a good many, 
spears. After waiting some time amidst a perfect babel 
of voices, a chief arrived with his face all blackened ; 
the two prisoners (one of the three having escaped, or 
been eaten) being also present. He opened the ball 
with a long speech about friendliness to the white men, 
or " Tuku-Tukus " as they call us. This name is animita- 
tion of the puffing of the steamer in which we arrived. 
When he had finished, and silence was again restored, 
Major Barttelot told them that, if they gave up the two 
remaining prisoners and the three guns to us, he would 
guarantee that they would be left in peace as long as he 
remained here. This having been translated to them, 
there was more noise, and the chief finally retired to 
consult the oracles. After some time a man, evidently of 
authority, arrived with two sticks, one with what looked 
exactly like a bunch of small carrots tied on to the end, 
the other a short thick one tied up in dried palm leaves, 
having one end bare. These he solemnly placed on the 
ground, and informed us that any man, white, black, 
native, or Arab, who looked upon them, and had witch- 
craft in him, would die. They did not like the presence 
of my boy Farani, whom Tippu-Tib gave me, recognizing 
him as an Arab at once, so they gave him first of all the 
short thick stick, which he had to hold in his hand close 
to his face, and look at the bare end, whilst he swore 
friendship towards them, and finally he had to blow 
upon it, which was the great test. Next he had to take 
up the stick with the " carrots " (which I noticed were 
the dried seed-pods of some plant like a poppy), and 
whilst he chipped it with his knife, looking at it all the 
time, repeat the same oath. The chief then took the 
short stick, and holding it in turn to his eyes, ears, and 
mouth, blew across it on to him ; then, taking one of 
the " carrots," passed it in a circle round his chest and 
back. As Farani did not die during the process, they 



182 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 

1888. considered it all right. The chief then informed us that 
y *^ '^ the guns were away at another place up the river, that 
to-day they would hand over to us one of the prisoners, 
and to-morrow the other man and three guns. We 
said we would agree to this, and the palaver ended, 
the chief walking off solemnly with his medicine 
sticks. We had to undergo a general inspection before 
getting into the canoes, and two natives, much lighter 
coloured than the rest, and who, as they informed us, 
came from a country far away to the north, where all 
the people were being killed, and who had never seen 
white men before, had a very close inspection of us. 
They wanted the Major to open his collar, and let them 
see if he was the same as other people inside it. During 
the long pause, whilst they were consulting the oracle, 
they asked Farani what was inside my tobacco-box, and 
when told, expressed a wish to see me smoke, so to 
oblige them I filled my pipe, and lit it with a fiint and 
steel. There was breathless silence during the per- 
formance, but when I lit my fuse with the flint and 
steel, they could contain themselves no longer, and burst 
out into loud expressions of astonishment. My umbrella 
and its uses were next explained to them, and im- 
mensely admired. My rings were also a source of 
interest, but I am sorry to say were considered to be 
brass, like their own bracelets. One native noticed the 
point of Farani's revolver sticking out from under his 
coat, and remonstrated with him on the subject. Taking 
Farani's hand in his, he closed it, then opening it, he 
swept his hand across the open palm, saying, " Why do 
you come with your hands closed — not open as they 
ought to be % " meaning why had he concealed weapons 
about him. I too had a very good revolver with me, 
but as it was inside the large breast-pocket of my coat, 
they did not see it. We finally got back to camp, with 
the released prisoner, after 12 o'clock, quite tired out 
by the noise, smell, and heat, for these natives are any- 
thing but savoury. A heavy thunderstorm came on 
after lunch, and it rained nearly all the afternoon, so I 
made a sketch of a goat's head, which died this morning, 



DIARY, 183 

and we distributed the meat amongst the muniaparas ^^^^^ 
and the Soudanese officers, the cook and our boys also Yambuya 
getting a bit. This is the first real rain we have had 
for over a month, and the river has never been so low 
since we have been here. I am afraid, with the return 
of the wet and cold, some more of the men will die. 

January ?>rd. — Went for a stroll with Ward this 
morning up the river, he doing a little sketching, and 
I a little collecting. I shot a hornbill, which turned 
out to be too young to be of any use, and amongst 
other birds a very handsome one, of which I do not 
know the name, and which I have often tried to shoot 
before, but they have always been too high. I also got 
the most peculiar caterpillar I have ever seen. I made 
a couple of drawings of it, which fail to do it justice, 
and then deposited it, with all the other curious 
beetles, spiders, bees, bugs, &c., in my silver flask full of 
spirits of wine. The natives did not fulfil their promise 
to-day of bringing over the other prisoner and the three 
guns, so Major Barttelot told the Arab head-man that 
he ought to send them a message to-morrow, and, if 
they did not give them up, he was to take his own way of 
getting them. 

Not a word of news of any kind about Mr. Stanley. 
If we do not hear of him soon now, it will look serious. 

January ^th. — The three men who were sent up to 
Abdullah's camp to try and buy fowls returned with 
four. Some of the reports we receive about Mr. Stanley 
are certainly very curious. These men say that, when 
they reached Abdullah's camp, some natives had just 
arrived there, who said that they had seen Mr. Stanley 
four days' march from there, still on his way to the 
Lake. Bonny has been cross-examining some of the 
deserters from Stanley with the following result : — They 
were two months and a half with him before they 
deserted. They do not know of any other deserters 
besides themselves, except Msa and three others who 
left with them, but who have never been heard of since. 
The reason they gave for leaving was that they were 



184 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

Jan 4 ^^^ly treated about food. Although there was plenty 
Fambuya. ^^ Hiaiiioc (and plantains) on the road, Mr. Stanley would 
not allow them to take it, and in fact often took manioc 
from them. The country became very hilly, with 
quantities of water. The boat was always kept upon 
the main river, the party going by land; when they 
came to an unfordable stream they had frequently to go 
a long distance up it before they reached a village where 
. they could procure canoes to cross in. At one of these 
villages they were fighting for three days. This is 
where Nelson was wounded, and two men killed, besides 
some wounded. Just before leaving Stanley, they had 
passed through a place where there were fifty of Tippu- 
Tib's people. The natives used bows and arrows with 
iron heads. There was plenty of food all along the 
road, but the natives, on their approach, removed all 
their fowls and goats into the bush. They were 25 
days coming down the river from where they left 
Mr. Stanley, to Abdullah's camp. — Went for a stroll 
down the river with Ward this morning, but shot 
nothing. We both got a sketch of the rapids, and a 
general view of the river, looking up it. Took out my 
gun in the evening, but unfortunately lost two very good 
birds in the thick bush, after shooting them. Painted 
some birds in the afternoon. 

January bth, — Yesterday the natives sent over the 
remaining prisoner, but no guns were given up. The 
men who came back from Abdullah's camp said that 
Ungungu, the native chief, had passed up the river 
with several canoes, and seven guns which he had 
taken from the Arabs. They were looking for a new 
place in which to make a village. The Arabs were 
going to let them settle, then surround them, and take 
Ungungu, and as many of them as they could. It is 
now evident that it was Ungungu who stabbed the Arabs 
in the canoe, and took their guns, and not the native;^ 
from down river. The Major had just dictated a letter lu 
Assad Farran, to be put into Arabic, and sent to Selim 
Mahommed, asking him to get us goats and fowls, and 



DIARY. 185 

to let ns know the exact date of Tippu-Tib's return }^\ 
from Kassongo, when two of his men arrived, and told Yambu a 
us that he was on his way to our camp, and would be 
here in three days, bringing with him fowls, goats, 
potatoes, and rice. They brought us six beautiful pine- 
apples, and two fowls. The pine-apples were simply 
delicious. I spent most of the day in making a sketch 
in black and white of the view I took of the river 
yesterday. Last night I was wakened out of my sleep 
by a gun being fired off in the Arab camp, and then I 
heard them all give chase to something. Their cries 
and shouts to one another were exactly like a pack of 
hounds giving tongue. I believe one of their native 
prisoners escaped, although of course they denied it 
this morning. 

January Qth. — Just after lunch to-day, the Arabs 
returned from a slave-raiding expedition beyond 
Abdullah's camp, up river, bringing with them three 
women with babies and two children, whom they had 
captured. We had one of the first rain-storms un- 
accompanied by thunder that I have seen in this country. 
It was very cold and cloudy all forenoon, and after mid- 
day heavy clouds drifted up with a westerly breeze, 
ending in a storm of wind and rain. Barttelot has 
been very seedy for the last three or four days, and 
had to lie in bed most of to-day. I had a great day, 
cleaning up all my weapons, and finishing sketches of 
scenery, birds, beetles, &c. Saw four large ducks pass 
the camp to-day ; they looked to me like wild muscovy, 
and are the first 1 have seen on this river. I fear our 
fish supply is over for the present, for the natives are 
afraid to come over to this side, as they have not yet 
returned the guns to the Arabs. 

January 1th. — This morning Nasibu, the Arab chief 
of Yambau, Yalisula, and all the surrounding dis- 
tricts, arrived, bringing us a present of a goat, and 
nearly a sackful of beautiful fresh rice. "We bought 
two goats from the Arabs who came with him. He 
told us that news of Mr. Stanley had been brought b} 



186 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 




Tattooing. 



1888. natives to Abdullah's camp up the river, according to 
an. 7. ^Jiich Abdullah had gone with his men after Stanley, 

am uya. ^^^ ^^^ caught Mm up, assistiug him in his fights mth 
the natives. Abdullah had remained at Upi to form a 
large camp and raid for ivory. This place is only 
sixteen days' march from Stanley Falls, so that Stanley 
must have been travelling very slowly. Nasibu is going 
up to Abdullah's camp to-morrow, when he says he will 
be able to give us more definite information. Tippu-Tib 
is still at Kassongo, but will return next month. They 
say he is bringing a great many people for us, and is 
arranging for canoes in which to convey them. Selim 
Mahommed is at Yambau, one day's march from here. 
I had a very busy day, beginning by shooting a small 
finch which I wished to draw, but on my way back to 
camp with it I passed a tree covered with lovely 
blossoms which I had often longed to paint, but was 
afraid to try, as I am no good at fiower-painting ; in 
fact, I never tried it before I came here. However, I 
got some cut down, and set to work, and I think the 
result is a success. I was just finishing the leaves when 



Yambuya, 



DIARY. 187 

Bonny brought me in a beautiful lizard, which I at ^ 

once painted, as I am certain its colours will fade unless y,,^^',,^!^ 
put into spirits. Assad Farran came to me this morning, 
and told me that a curious beast, which he was sure was 
a whale, habitually came out of the water near our 
two canoes, and fed on the grass on the bank, but dis- 
appeared back into the water on the approach of any 
one. He said the sentry over the canoes constantly 
saw it, and on my inquiring if he was certain that it 
was. a whale, said, "Oh yes! it is something like the 
shape of a crocodile ; I am sure it is a whale." I 
imagine the animal to be an iguana ; however, he is to 
let me know the next time it is visible, for me to shoot 
it. Just after Nasibu arrived, the Arabs who are at this 
camp fired on a canoe full of natives, and killed several 
of them, so there is little hope of our getting any more 
fish. 

January Sth, Sundae/. — Nasibu came down to-day, 
but could give us no more information than yesterday. 
He spoke of a curious tribe of natives who live near 
Upi, the women of which, instead of wearing the 
usual small apron of a few square inches, and a dress- 
improver not much larger, wear two pairs of living 
fowls, one pair as an apron, the other as the dress- 
improver. When the fowls die, they are thrown away, 
and fresh ones substituted ; they are only used for this 
purpose, and not for food. He told us that some of the 
Lights of his Harem had never seen white men, and 
had expressed the wish to come down and visit us, 
especially a woman who came from Upi. We told him 
we were quite willing to be inspected, and shortly after 
his departure a man came down in charge of four black 
Venuses, evidently in their Sunday best. Two of their 
names were translated as " Sugar-stick " and " Finish 
Everything." When asked to be seated, they all sat 
down in a body on my poor camp-bed ; but luckily, just 
as it was going smash, they got up and dispersed. The 
lady from Upi was certainly the best-looking of the lot^ 
but the gilt of civilization sat very lightly upon her. 



188 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN, 

188S. ^Q presented each with a few matakas, and they went 

Y ^^' ■ away evidently much pleased with their visit. Nasibu 

am uya. ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ natives here have no religion of any sort, 

and consequently no worship, even of fetishes, but they 
have a firm belief that, when they die, they will come to 
life again. They affirm, however, that we must come 
from heaven, for all people are white there. Another 
of the men who came up from Bolobo died to-day, 
making forty-one deaths in camp since we arrived, and 
I hear another of the Soudanese is dying. 

January Wi. — Selim Mahommed arrived to-day, and 
brought no end of presents with him, giving me 
a very good ivory-handled knife, manufactured at the 
Falls ; to the Major and myself jointly a small bag of 
candied sugar, which is a great luxury, as I have not 
tasted sugar now for over seven months, a box of vermi- 
celli, and a small sack of coifee-beans ; and a fowl to 
Ward. He brought me, as a present from Tippu-Tib, 
a splendid big goat. My boy Farani also gave me a very 
good spear, so the day seemed like a birthday. Selim 
told us that they had not heard from Tippu-Tib since 
he went to Kassongo, but that he was expected back at 
the Falls by the 12 th February. He said that the men 
coming from Kassongo could only arrive slowly in 
small detachments, as the Congo is now very low, and 
they have to travel in very small canoes. He has had 
no news of Stanley later than that brought by the 
deserters, and he does not believe in the statement that 
Abdullah had caught him up, and fought the natives 
vrith him. Selim's intention is to make treaties of 
peace, and trade with all the natives round here, and not 
punish Ungungu, as it was wrong in the first place for 
his head-man to have tied him up. One of the head 
Arabs at Stanley Falls, called Nasoro, fired off the big 
rifle I gave to Tippu-Tib, but came to grief in doing so. 
He knelt down, imagining it to be the safest plan, but 
it kicked him right over on to his back. Tippu told 
Selim Mahommed, when he left for Kassongo, to fire 
the rifle, but he said that, after hearing of Nasoro's 



DIARY. 189 

mishap, he thought it wiser to leave it alone ! This I88&. 
afternoon I took a long walk, and shot a beautiful ^^' 
warbler, that I have never seen before, and one of the 
black shrikes, which, although only about the size of 
blackbirds, look as big as crows, owing to the effect of 
the masses of black, fluffy feathers with which they are 
covered. I stood and listened to the warbler singing 
for a long time before I noticed that he was a new one 
to me, and then, alas ! he also had to die ! 

January IQth. — Major Barttelot sent for Selim 
Mahommed this morning, and asked him to tell the 
plain truth as to whether we were likely to receive 
the men promised by Tippu-Tib or not. Selim answered 
that he could not read Tippu's heart, but he believed 
we should get the men, and that Tippu himself would 
return to Stanley Falls on the fifteenth of next month, 
when he expected to have 200 men there from Kassongo. 
It was very difficult, he added, to get the men to carry 
loads, so they were told that they were required here to 
fight the natives. The Major asked him why, in the first 
place, we did not get the men who were on the Lumami 
River. He said (as Farran translated it) there were 
murmurs amongst them, which I suppose simply meant 
that they flatly refused to carry loads. The Major then 
asked if there was any personal feeling of dislike to 
himself in the matter, and Selim said there was none. 
I am afraid that if we do get the men from Tippu-Tib, 
once they discover that they have been taken in, we 
shall be unable to do anything with them. Selim told 
the Major that there were two more deserters from 
Mr. Stanley at Abdullah's camp, besides the man who 
led him to the place where the ivory was. 

January 11th, — A most unpleasant accident happened 
to me last night. I was in the midst of pleasant dreams, 
when, with a crash, my bed broke down, and I fell with 
my head and shoulders on to the ground, and my feet 
in the air. I put my hands out to see what on earth 
had happened, when they met with the mosquito curtain, 
which I found all round me, and at once commenced to 



190 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN, 

1888. struggle with. Luckily I realized what had happened 
i mbu a ^^^^^^ -^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ curtain too badly, and I fixed 
the whole thing up somehow, but for the rest of the 
night had to sleep with my heels in the air, and mj 
head almost on the ground. It is a curious thing what 
an amount of thought goes through one's brain in a 
second of time when one is asleep. I remember per- 
fectly well that my last dreaming thoughts were of being 
in a chair which kept tilting over backwards, and yet, 
from the manner in which the bed was broken, it must 
have happened instantaneously. One thing is certain, 
however : the next time we receive the Lights of any 
one's Harem, they will not sit on my bed ! Spent most 
of the day in skinning birds and painting. A boy came 
in the evening from Nasibu's camp, which is about an 
hour from here, and told me that Nasibu had a full- 
grown antelope, with horns, for me, and wanted two 
men sent out to bring it in. When it arrived we untied 
its legs, and put it in my house on some grass ; it then 
appeared to be all right, but on coming out from dinner 
we found it dead, which is a great pity, as I wished to 
sketch it before killing it. Unfortunately it has only 
one horn, having evidently lost the other in the wars. 
Just as I was going for a stroll with my gun, I met one 
of my sick men, who presented me with a JDoo-Boo, as 
they call every species of fly, beetle, bug, or any other 
insect. This one was wrapped up in a leaf, and turned 
out to be a beautiful longicorn beetle, which figures in 
Herr Pogge's book, and I have only seen one other 
specimen of it here. This was Ward's birthday, so we 
had quite a feast at dinner, soup and grilled meat, topped 
up with the best roUy-poly we have had yet, made 
with some flour we had over from Christmas Day, and 
a pot of gooseberry jam. Unfortunately Bonny was 
feeling very seedy, and had to go to bed before dinner. 

January 12th. — It was so hot that I had to skin 
the antelope, fearing the meat would go, and I had 
not time to get much of a sketch, even of the head. 
Nasibu told me he thought this one was about eight or 



DIARY, 191 

nine months old, that a full-grown one was not much -}^% 
larger, and had straisrht horns about eio^ht or nine inches ^ L " 

1 TT 1 -1 P ^^ Yambuya 

long. He has promised to get me a lull-grown one, as 
I have never seen any like it. It is certainly different 
from any of the South- African antelopes that I know of. 
We cut up and grilled one of the hind legs, and made 
soup of some of the meat for dinner, and it was excel- 
lent. To-day was one of the hottest days we have had 
yet. The thermometer went up to 130° in the sun, and 
then I took it in, as it only measures 145°, and I feared 
it would burst. It stood at 89° in the shade. All the 
degrees of heat in the shade are taken in my house, 
which is the coolest spot in camp, as it is open 
at both ends, so that every breeze blows right 
through it. An Arab who came in on his way to 
Stanley Falls says that Abdullah has gone back to his 
camp beyond Upi, and that the two last deserters from 
Stanley are there, sick, eight men having deserted at the 
same time, when six died, or were killed. I am thankful 
to say that I have not had a single day in this camp 
with nothing to do, except when I have been ill. 

January 13th. — Stretched the antelope skin this 
morning, and finished the drawing of its head. In 
the afternoon made a sketch of the Soharus Poggei 
beetle, which I find is far from correctly drawn in the 
plates in his book. Another of the men who came up 
from Bolobo died to-day, making the 42nd death in camp. 
Some of the Soudanese are in a wretched condition, and 
will, I fear, die very soon. Nasibu paid us another visit 
to-day. He is certainly one of the nicest of all the 
Arabs, and quite the most straightforward. As a rule, 
when they have not much to say their conversation is a 
tissue of lies, made up of information which they think 
will please you. Salem Masudi was one of these men, 
who, rather than say nothing, told a lie. 

January lith. — Spent most of the day in making 
coloured drawings of some of the native pottery. 
The designs are occasionally very beautiful, and would 
be still better, if they were left without the small cross 



192 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

zlnAl. strokes with whicli they are covered. The pots are jet- 
Tambuya. black when new, and the designs are coloured by rubbing 
cam-wood into all the sunken lines. The forms of some 
of their vase-shaped pottery, used for carrying water 
or palm-oil, are very fine. Dead bodies of natives and 
Manyema men are constantly caught by the trees which 
have fallen into the river from the bank below our 
camp. Yesterday there was one, and again to-day, a 
most loathsome object to be seen — a woman vdth her 
throat cut in such a way that the head was almost 
severed from the body. A rope was tied round her 
wrist, and the sight was rendered more horrible from 
portions of the skin having come off the face, breasts, 
and other parts of the body in large patches. I believe 
the Arabs living at Abdullah's old camp up the river 
had a fight to-day with the natives on some islands 
above the rapids, killing eight or nine of them, and 
capturing over twenty women. When Ward was at 
Stanley Falls the last time, Rachid, the Arab chief on 
the Lumami River, promised to send him some knives 
and spears from there, and to-day they arrived. They 
are quite the finest I have ever seen. He was kind 
enough to make me a present of one of the spears and 
a knife, which were very acceptable, as I have nothing 
whatever to buy anything with. 

January Ibth, Sunday. — Dhuma Bisalum, one of my 
men, died to-day, making the 43rd death in camp. He 
has been in a sort of decline ever since arriving here, 
and for the last two or three months has been merely an 
animated skeleton. In the morning I shot a couple of 
smfts, and a very beautiful swallow. Made a sketch of 
the large native knife sent by Eachid to Ward. A 
hippo passed down the river to-day in firont of the camp. 
It was the first I had seen, although there are a good 
many tracks of them between this and Abdullah's camp. 
Gave the men a whole holiday. 

January l^th. — We had a hot sun, and I got all my 
skins dried. Took a long walk in the evening with my 
gun, but only succeeded in shooting one big pigeon. 



BIABY. 193 

January 17th. — Had a great slice of luck in the j^^^f^ 
way of collecting to-day. After breakfast, Ward and Yambuya 
I started on a botanizing expedition, and I took my 
gun. Just opposite the graveyard, I noticed a small 
bird dart into a tree. I said to Ward, " I must get a 
shot at that bird ; it's a new one." We lost sight of it 
for some time, but luckily I stood still, and presently I 
saw it through the branches and fired, when to my 
surprise I saw two birds fall, and found I had shot a 
pair, both cock and hen. They turned out to be the 
most beautiful sunbirds I have ever seen, and quite 
difierent from any I know of. There is a humming- 
bird in Gould's collection, as far as I remember, exactly 
like them. We got a number of botanical specimens, 
but unfortunately did not press them sufficiently, and 
had to throw the whole lot away. 

January ISth. — Saw the natives catch two very large 
fish to-day, in nets just below the camp ; one of 
them must have weighed from 40 to 50 lbs. Just 
as I got into my bath this afternoon, I saw a snake 
climbing up the end of the house, and presently he pro- 
ceeded to come inside through the sticks. I jumped 
out, seized Barttelot's stick, and gave him what I 
thought was a nasty jar, but he wriggled over the top of 
the boxes, and disappeared. I had just got into my 
tub again, when I saw him going along where the roof 
joins the wall. Went at him and gave him a knock, 
upon which he fell at the back of the boxes, and I saw 
him no more, although I hunted everywhere for him. 
This life is becoming tedious and monotonous beyond 
measure, and God knows when and how it will end ! 

January 19th. — Made a sketch of ^ve spears used 
by the natives on this river. Some of them are very 
handsome, the blades ornamented by cam-wood being 
rubbed into the deep lines graved on them. One of 
them, belonging to Bonny, has a blade 23-g^ inches long, 
and is quite the finest I have seen anywhere. One of 
my men brought me a most extraordinary caterpillar. 
It has two long horns of lovely silky hair, black and 

o 



194 STOBY OF THE REAM COLUMN. 

Jaf^ib wliite, and a tail of pure white spun silk. Its back is 
Yambuya. ^ ^^^^ velvety dark olive-brown, barred with yellowish- 
creamy white, like satin, and the sides are pure 
snowy white, shining like the richest silk. The head 
is ochre and perfectly bare like a skull, with jet-black 
eves. Another man brought me a very fine specimen 
cf the leaf-insect. One of the Soudanese is dead. He 
has long been ill Avith dysentery, and was reported dead 
a fortnight ago. This is the 44th death in camp. 

January 20th. — Another of the Zanzibaris from Bolobo 
died to-day. A cold wet day or night is almost sure 
to be followed by the death of one or more of these 
wretched men, who are simply living skeletons. They 
are nearly all without blankets or clothing of any kind 
whatever except a ragged piece of cotton, or native 
cloth, round the loins, and having no flesh on their 
bones, the cold kills them at once. We have now lost 
a fifth of the entire force in camp. I find it almost 
impossible to paint the leaf-insect, on account of the 
marbled veining and the thousand shades of colour 
which render it so beautiful. This evening I shot 
another new sunbird, if possible more brilliantly 
coloured than the last. Throat rich grey, fading into 
bright metallic green on the breast, succeeded by a bar 
of orange, merging into grey on the belly, which in its 
turn changes into lemon-yellow on the vent. It has 
a tuft of bright lemon-yellow feathers on each side of 
the breast, which project over the shoulder of the wings. 
The head and back are a metallic green, and the wings 
are a beautiful mixture of dark olive and lighter greens. 
It is a remarkably small sunbird, and the first that I 
have seen of the kind. Unfortunately the hen flew away 
when I shot this one, and although I waited a long 
time did not return. 

January 21st, — A splendid addition to my collection 
arrived to-day! One of the Zanzibaris brought me a 
magnificent Goliath beetle, the largest I have ever 
seen, but not so brightly coloured as those I got in the 
Transvaal and Mashona country. I saw one some time 



viAiir. 



195 




COAVRIE HeAD-DEESS. 

ago, flying very high, and could not get a shot at it ; and 
to-night, just before dinner, I had sent my gun in with 
one of the men, when one flew right over my head, but 
did not settle anywhere within sight. These are the 
only three I have seen during this trip. There seem 
to be very few beetles here, but the few there are, I think, 
are most of them rare specimens. Saw a very large 
hippo going down the river to-day. 

January 22nd, Sunday. — Took a walk with Ward up 
the river. It is now evidently the flowering season 
for almost every tree and shrub ; and some of them are 
very beautiful. I did not shoot anything then ; but in 
the evening I had a grand time with my gun and the 
birds, getting three which are new to me. I first saw 
a sunbird dart over the path and fly into a tree some 
distance in the jungle. As far as I could see in the 
moment's time, it was a cock bird, with a bright red 
breast, belly, and vent, and the rest of it dark blue or 
green. It flew away before I could get a shot, when 
the hen made her appearance, and was shot instead. 

o2 



1888. 
Jan. 21. 

Yambuya. 



196 STOllY OF THE BEAU COLUMN. 

issa Shortly afterwards I got a very handsome bird, of 
Tambira ^^^^ species I do not know. It is a little larger than 
a thrush, and has a powerful and crow-shaped beak. 
The breast is very flat, and the colouring resembles 
that of the barbets. It has large bright orange wattles 
and beak; head, neck, and throat being of very deep 
claret. The feathers are glossy and hard like short 
hackles ; the breast and belly are bright lemon-yellow, 
spotted here and there with black; vent black; 
shoulders white; wings, back, and tail black; eyes 
very dark red. I also got a beautiful Paradise fly- 
catcher; and on the road home a large black shrike, 
which Bonny wanted. Having left the birds in my 
house, I went out again, and shot a very handsome 
warbler, almost as large as a thrush, which I have 
never seen before, so that to-morrow I shall have a 
really busy day. It was great luck getting the large 
bird and the warbler, as I should never have seen 
them had I not gone into the thickest part of the 
jungle in search of birds I thought I had wounded. 

January 2'^rd. — Got a few good new beetles. A heavy 
thunderstorm came on about an hour ago, after dinner, 
and has wetted nearly everything in my house, as the 
wind drove the rain clean through the sides, so I expect 
to pass a pretty damp night ! I am afraid the long spell 
of fine weather we have had is drawing to a close. 

January 2ith. — Selim Mahommed came down to 
my house this morning, and we had a long talk with 
him. It appears that he has with him a man who 
left Emin Bey's territory some time after Dr. Junker, 
and came down through Uganda and on to Kassongo, 
reaching Stanley Falls a few days before Ward's last 
visit there. Emin Bey has been known to the Arabs 
for a long time, but always as Abdul Emin; and 
they heard him named Emin Bey for the first time 
by Dr. Junker. He states that, when he left, Emin 
Bey was at his station, which, from his description, 
appears to be at the northern end of Lake Albert Nyanza, 
on an island, with the river on one side and the lake 
on the other, close to a very large mountain. The 



DIARY. 197 

people of whom he stands in danger are the kings of i^ss. 
the three surrounding native kingdoms, all three very yrmbuva 
powerful. From what this man says he is not on 
friendly terms with any one of them, and appears to be 
more or less hemmed in on this island. He has two 
steamers in which he goes backwards and forwards 
between his stations. Selim Mahommed says that he 
heard of Emin Bey going down to Uganda a long time 
ago to try and make terms with the king about getting 
out that way ; but he has not heard of his being there 
a second time. The Arabs know all his movements, 
the Sultan of Zanzibar having sent orders to all the 
Arab stations to the effect that, should Emin Bey come 
to any of them and be in need of anything, they were 
to supply it, the Sultan himself repaying them for it. 
This man says that when Dr. Junker left he took with 
him a lot of Emin Bey's ivory to Uyoro (Ugogo ]), where 
he bought cloth and other necessaries with it, and sent 
them back to Emin ; also that Emin has a quantity of 
ivory, but that it is scattered among his different 
stations. He says the natives at this end of Lake Albert 
Nyanza are a very savage and warlike people. They 
have no guns or spears, but fight with a large knife 
and shield. They are not like the natives here, who 
are afraid of guns, and run away when a few of them 
are shot, but they come right on in great numbers. 
Thus the great danger to which it appears Mr. Stanley 
is open is being attacked on the march when his men 
are tired and straggling, and the Maxim gun can only 
be used at one point. Another danger is the weakness 
of his force, owing to the great number of desertions 
and deaths ; for although we only know definitely of 
23 or 24 desertions, these men and the Arabs all say 
that many others have left him, principally owing to his 
treatment of them on the road. We have not seen or 
heard of those other deserters, because they have gone 
down by another route, — probably via Kibonge to 
Kassongo ; but very likely Tippu-Tib on his return will 
have heard something of them. For these reasons 
Selim Mahommed inclines to the belief that Stanley 
is in some way hampered, and unable to get on or 



198 STOBY OF TEE BEAR COLUMN. 

1888. send men back ; he thinks that only his oldest and 
Jan. 24. j^^q^^ faithful followors have stuck to him. We have 

*°^ "^^' talked the matter over amongst ourselves, and can 
only await Tippu-Tib's return from Kassongo, and see 
how many men he will give us. If we only get two 
or three hundred, we shall start with them and the 
pick of the men here, with light loads (principally 
ammunition), and force our way through to see what 
has become of Stanley, leaving two white officers here, 
with the rest of the men and loads. I told Selim, in 
chaff, that if I remained out here much longer they 
would think at home that I was dead, and that I should 
find, on my return, my wife had married some one else. 
He laughed very much, and told me about one of the 
Arabs at the Falls called Nasoro Masudi. Some time 
ago there were two men of this name, one at Many- 
angwe and this one at the Falls. The man at Many- 
angwe was killed in a fight ; and when the news 
reached Zanzibar, the relations of Nasoro Masudi (of 
Stanley Falls) thought it was he. His wife, mother, 
and some relatives then divided his property amongst 
themselves, and his wife married another man; but 
before long she received a letter from her husband at 
the Falls, saying he had made some money and was 
returning to Zanzibar. This rather took them aback ; 
but the men relatives bolted with their share of the 
property, and poor Nasoro returned to this painful 
state of affairs. Selim Mahommed told me that justice 
does not exist at Zanzibar ; everything is done by bribery, 
and the case is always gained by the richest man. If 
a rich man beats or ill-treats a poor one, and he com- 
plains, he is at once accused of having cursed the rich 
man, or some other crime of that description, and is 
put into prison, the rich man having bribed the judge. 

January 25/A. — One of my Zanzibaris died yesterda}, 
and one of the men from Bolobo to-day. This makes 
47 deaths in camp. My man has been ill ever since 
August, when he was so bad that I took his rifle from 
him, as he could scarcely carry it. The man who died 
to-day was well except for a sore leg. He was found 



DIARY, 199 

dead this morning, with a quantity of blood which had j^^% 
flowed from the leg right outside the hut. The sore y ^, * 
had evidently eaten into a vein, which had burst in his 
sleep, and he had bled to death. He w^as one of our 
camp policemen, and quite one of the best men we had. 
Selim Mahommed spoke very cheerfully about the cer- 
tainty of the men arriving from Tippu-Tib, saying that 
he himself much wished to see the country that we should 
go through, and that we could go by a much straighter 
road than Stanley's, for where he had made a detour 
from the river and returned to it again, we could go 
straight on. Had a great day painting beetles and 
drying specimens. In the evening I shot a sparrow 
almost identical with our English one. 

January 26th. — The forenoon was so dark that I 
could hardly see to do anything. It was just like a 
day at home — cold and cloudy. No news of any kind, 
either from the Falls or of Stanley. It is now a very 
serious question as to what has befallen him, and 
what we are to do should Tippu-Tib not bring enough 
men with him from Kassongo. Make a move of some 
kind we must ; but it is useless to do so unless we are 
in a position to be of real help to Stanley. 

January 21th. — Had a most successful day's collecting. 
In the morning I shot two cock sunbirds, quite new 
to me, one of them the most beautiful I think I 
have ever seen. The throat and upper half of breast 
are bright metallic golden green, and below this, 
on the breast, is a line of prussian blue, edged with 
carmine. The lower part of the breast, belly, and vent 
are a rich, dark velvety brown. There is a small patch 
on the crown of dark green and purple, and on the 
cheeks a line of dark green. The rest of the bird is a 
rich golden olive-brown in dark and light shades. 
The other is much smaller, and not nearly so beautiful. 
Painted and skinned them. In the evening I shot a 
very handsome pair of weaver-birds. Selim Ma- 
hommed's men attacked Ungungu's brother's village 
this morning. It lies lower down the river, on the 
opposite bank. We heard the firing quite distinctly. 



200 STOUT OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

Ja?f 27 '^^^y killed the chief, and brought back his right hand 
rrrabuya. ^^^^^ them. They captured twenty-seven women and 
children, and killed four men besides the chief. Un- 
gungu will be a great fool if he does not give up the 
guns now, as this will certainly happen to him also. 
8elim Mahommed's band from Kassongo came down, 
and played and sang to us whilst we were at dinner. 

January 2Sth. — Ahmed Abdullah, a Soudanese 
soldier, died to-day. Spent most of the day in painting 
birds and flowers. In the evening I took a stroll 
through the manioc plantations and shot a beautiful 
paradise flycatcher, the cock bird of the hen which I 
got a few days ago. It appears that the native 
chief whom Selim Mahommed's men killed was under 
the protection of an Arab, called Ali Mahommed, 
and so trouble has arisen amongst themselves, and I 
heard that Selim Mahommed had sent off a lot of his 
men to fight the others. It must be rather a curious 
and pleasing sight for the poor natives to see them 
fighting among themselves. 

January 29th, Sunday. — This was one of the hottest 
days we have had. The thermometer stood at 88° 
nearly all day in my house, and 136° in the sun. 
Skinned some birds, dried specimens, and finished 
painting some flowers. In the evening shot a small 
warbler, which is new to me. The natives of the village 
on the other side evidently had a fright to-day. I heard 
a great row, and on going out with the glasses, saw 
them all tumbling into their canoes as fast as they 
could, and pushing out into the stream. Some of those 
who were left behind were jumping into the water and 
swimming. It was only a scare, for they all soon 
returned. Theirs must be a miserable existence, liable 
to be attacked at any moment by the Arabs, their 
women and children taken, and the men shot ; yet they 
always appear light-hearted and jolly in spite of all. 
The chief who was killed the other day is the head 
chief of the whole district. 



Jan. 30 
Yambuvx 



DIAET. 201 

January Wth. — Bought a very curious native war- 1888 
knife to-day. The man wanted cloth for it, but as I 
had none, I oiFered him gunpowder, which he declined. 



^^^-KftH ojir 



<?4 




^.5^ 



Wak-Knife from Lumami Kivee. 

The Major then tried to buy it for me with the canvas 
oif his old bed, but he would not have that either, when 
I remembered that I had an old Pigou and Wilks 
poAvder-fiask painted black, with a bright yellow paper- 
label on it. I showed him this, and extolled its value ; 
he jumped at it and asked for some powder in it, so I 
put a little in and obtained the knife. The curious 
shape of the top of the blade is evidently taken from 
the bill of a hornbill. 

January Z\st. — This morning I shot a pair of finches, 
of which I have only seen one specimen before, and 
that was one I shot on our arrival here, the skin of 
w^hich was destroyed by beetles. This evening I shot a 
beautiful small warbler. I find that every minute 
of the day I have something to do. First thing in 
the morning parade men and tell them off to their 
work, then breakfast, followed by a stroll with the 
gun as long as it is cool. Most likely a new bird is 
shot, when he has to be drawn, painted, and skinned ; 
then perhaps a boy will come in with a new beetle or a 
curious insect, which is subject to the same fate ; then, 
before the sun goes down, another ramble with the gun. 
Through it all, one cannot help feeling how utterly one 



202 STOBY OF THE BEAM COLUMN, 

1888. is left out of all the real work we came to do, and the 
sense of keen disappointment crops up at all times. 



•Tan. 31 

Tambuya. 



February 1st. — The men came back from Yalisula to- 
day, with palm-oil and fowls, and a present of a goat from 
Saidi Chongo * to the Major. They had been lost in the 
forest for three days, having mistaken a large elephant- 
track for the right road. They brought a great many 
reports, but no definite news. Tippu-Tib, they say, 
will soon be back from Kassongo. Already nine or ten 
canoes have arrived from there with men, but they have 
been sent off to a river called the Lumami (not the one 
we know of), to settle some dispute, after which they 
will come here. Another report says that the white 
men (Stanley and his party) are on an island fighting 
an angry king. Selim Mahommed places no faith in 
this rumour. He is expecting a letter from Tippu- 
Tib. Had a good evening's shooting, viz. one warbler, 
a sunbird, and a finch. A curious thing happened on 
my way back. I had shot a sunbird close to where I 
shot the warbler last night, and pointing out the shot- 
holes through the top of the small bush where he had 
been, I said to Barttelot, " I wonder if there are any 
feathers from the tail of that bird. I looked yesterday 
but could find none." On stooping down, what was my 
surprise to find a dead bird exactly resembling that which 
I shot yesterday, lying in the same spot, but in this one 
the tail was perfect. I must have shot both birds, but 
I certainly only saw the one when I fired, and I fail to 
understand how I missed seeing this one. 

February 2nd. — Last night the natives stole two 
large canoes belonging to Selim Mahommed, which he 
had placed below our camp for safety. A man must 
have swum down and cut them loose with a knife, for 
the sentry says that although he heard a slight noise, 
he could see no one to fire at, and immediately after- 
wards he saw the canoes floating away down the stream. 
The natives, however, were only taking what belonged 

* Chief of Yalisula.— Ed. 



DIARY. 203 

to them, for the canoes had been taken from them about ^^^^ 
a week ago. Made a sketch of a very handsome Goliath Yamhuya 
beetle which Bonny got to-day. 

February Srd. — One of my men died to-day who has 
been ill for the last two months. He seemed to be 
getting better, but the last two or three nights have 
been very cold, and have evidently finished him. Shot 
three finches, a sunbird, and a warbler. I have only 
one specimen of the sunbird and warbler. Selim 
Mahommed has sent over twenty-eight men to the other 
side of the river, there to lie in wait during the night, 
and attack and burn Ungungu's village at daybreak 
to-morrow. He has not given up the guns, and has 
broken faith in every way with Selim Mahommed. A 
brother of the chief whom the Arabs killed the other 
day paid us a visit to-day, and was shown round 
the camp. The Major and I have talked matters 
over together, and have decided, in case we hear of 
Mr. Stanley having either met with disaster or being 
hemmed in, that w^e will personally sign a guarantee 
for £5,000, which we will give to Tippu-Tib upon his 
signing an agreement to give us sufiicient men to go 
up to the Lake, and see what has really happened; 
that is, if he will not do it for less, or if he will not give 
us enough m&n to move the loads now. If we have to 
do this, we shall only take food and ammunition, and go 
simply to fight our way through if necessary. The 
man who died to-day makes the 49th death in camp. 

February 4:th. — To-day was the third anniversary of 
my wedding, so we killed the big goat, Tippu-Tib's 
present to me, and feasted. Bonny contributed a tin of 
fiour, and the Major a tin of jam, and the result 
was a splendid culinary surprise to me, for they had 
purposely not told me about it. We had, unfortu- 
nately, nothing stronger than tea to drink my wife's 
health in. This morning, shortly after daybreak, I 
was awakened by the guns of the Arabs who were 
attacking Ungungu's village, almost opposite our camp. 
I lan out with the glasses, but there was a thick mist, 



204 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

1888. ^-Q^ nothing to be seen but the flashes of the guns as 
KT^ i ' thev shot the unfortunate natives swimminsr in the 
water, and the shacloAvy torms ot the canoes going up 
stream. Nearly all the canoes made for the rushes in 
the centre of the rapids, where they had built a lot oi 
huts, but they were soon driven out of that refuge, and 
went in a body away up the river. Selim Mahommed 
himself, with some men, was stationed on this side to 
guard against their landing. I saw two poor fellows, in 
a canoe which came rather close in, have a very narrow 
escape, as Selim began shooting at them with his 
Martini, but they jumped out and put the canoe 
between them and the shore. A number of natives 
were shot, but I cannot tell how many, as most of them 
sank in the water; however, they captured one man, 
and brought back one head with them, which Ward 
and I sketched. Afterwards I skinned and preserved 
it, and shall try to get it home with me *. The Arabs 
captured five canoes, some very fine ones, and I fear 
the natives have little chance of escape, as Abdullah's 
people hold the islands up river, and have canoes. 
The Arabs had burnt the whole of the village, which 
now made a beautiful picture, with the smoke and 
flames rising up from under the dark foliage of the 
forest, and reflected as in a mirror across the sunlit 
waters, while higher up the river the canoes were 
disappearing into the mist which still hung over the 
rapids. When one thinks that Selim Mahommed is 
one of Tippu-Tib's head men, Tippu now being an officer 
of the Congo Free State, whose charter binds him to 
put down all forms of slavery, and that these head men 
of his send out parties in all directions to hunt ivory 
and slaves every day, it seems a curious medley. 
To-night Burgari Mahommed, the man who stole the 
meat out of Ward's house (and who has been in chains 
ever since, doing walking-punishment every day), 
escaped from the guard-house, taking with him the ser- 
geant's rifle and twelve cartridges. 

* This head reached home safely, and was the one which gave rise 
to the atrocious attacks in the Press on the late Mr. Jameson. — Ed. 



DIARY. 



205 




"Wataku Potteky. 



February bth, Sunday. — Another of the Soudanese 
soldiers died to-day. The Arabs, who tried to intercept 
the natives going up river yesterday, met with decided 
reverses. Ten of them, in a canoe which stuck on a 
rock, were killed by the natives, who took all their guns. 
Last night all the natives passed the camp and went away 
down the river ; thus of course Selim Mahommed, who 
went up river to-day to hunt for them, did not succeed 
in his quest. Selim, however, shot two unfortunates, 
who were fools enough to show themselves. It is not 



1888. 
Feb. 5. 

Yambuya. 



206 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

1888. pleasant to reflect that Burgari Mahommed is still loose 
rambuya ^^^^^ about the camp with a rifle and 12 cartridges ! 

February 6th. — I painted a lovely snake which a man 
brought in, and a flsh, which I had in a large earthenware 
jar. Selim Mahommed says that when they reached 
the place, yesterday, where the ten Arabs had been killed 
by the natives, they found the native fires still burning, 
and a lot of the dead mens flesh left in the pots. 
The natives had eaten nearly all the bodies, and had 
nailed their fingers to the surrounding trees. I believe 
it is quite a common practice amongst the Arabs, when 
they have made friendly terms with one village, to 
capture the natives of another place, men or boys, and give 
them over to be eaten, as a present, to the natives of 
the friendly village. When the Arabs brought back the 
hand of the chief whom they killed the other day, some 
natives, who were in his camp, said to Selim Mahommed, 
" You say you are a friend to us, and yet you give us no 
one to eat ! Give us the hand ! " This is the hottest day 
we have had, 90° in the shade, 137° in the sun. 

February 7th. — Thunderstorm and torrents of rain all 
forenoon. Wrote up my bird notes. Some Arabs 
arrived from the Lumami River, and we succeeded in buy- 
ing seven goats and some fowls from them. Not a word 
of news of any kind about Stanley ! The Major and I 
start on Saturday for Stanley Falls to meet Tippu-Tib, 
and force him, if possible, to show his hand to us. If he 
will only give us a few men, we will go up and see what 
has happened. This waiting here in utter darkness is 
sickening, and the men are dying ofi" like rotten sheep. 

February Sth. — Another man from Bolobo died to- 
day (51 deaths). It is almost certain that a death 
will be reported after any of the cold storms which visit 
us. Did a little painting to-day, but it was so cold and 
dark inside my house that I did not feel much inclined 
to do anything. When it is fearfully hot we all pray 
for cold weather, and when it comes it upsets our livers, 
and then we prav for the heat again. This is the worst 



DIABY, 207 

place I have ever collected in ; it is almost impossible to ^2% 
get anything I do not already possess, and yet I have Yambuya 
only a few specimens. 

February 9th. — Bnrgari Mahommed was captnred and 
brought into camp this morning. One of my men 
who was out a long way from camp yesterday, getting 
manioc, saw him sitting down, and told the Arabs in a 
village close by. They went out this morning, and 
Burgari fired at one of the natives ; but when the Arabs 
came up, and said " Do not fire at us, we are friends, 
come into our village," he did so, and was then sur- 
prised, disarmed, tied up and brought into camp. He 
is to be shot to-morrow morning. Troup and I were 
the only ones who thought the extreme penalty might 
be mitigated. No one can deny that, according to 
military law on active service, he ought to be shot, 
and there is no doubt that it ought to have a very good 
effect upon the others ; but when one thinks what a 
miserable poor wretch he is, and from what a miserable 
existence he tried to escape, one cannot help pitying 
him. It is a long time now since he stole the meat out 
of Ward's house, which was the offence for which he 
was punished originally. I think, all things taken 
into consideration, a little leniency to such a poor 
wretch would not be flung away. We have arranged 
to start for the Falls on Sunday, and the idea of the 
change from this horrible existence is delicious. 

February IQtIi. — Took everything out of the store and 
gave it all a sunning. After lunch had all my birds' 
skins out in the sun, and got them thoroughly dried. 
They are all in capital condition, and no sign of beetle 
amongst them. Burgari was shot this morning, and all 
the men in camp were paraded to witness it. He was 
tied up to the flogging post on the road outside the 
camp, and eight Soudanese formed the firing party. 
Death was instantaneous, one bullet going right through 
the backbone, and another through the heart. He 
took the whole thing quite coolly, without the sign of 
a tremble, or an utterance of any kind, and waited 



208 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

Feb^io ^l^^ietly with his head slightly bent for the signal to fire. 

Yambuya '^^^ Major has decided to start for the Fails on Sunday. 
Selim Mahommed says Tippu-Tib is not there, and he 
does not know when he will return. We may have to 
wait there a month or more before he arrives, knowing 
all the time that we are unAvelcome guests. Good- 
ness knows I shall be glad of the change, but I don't 
think it a good move until we hear of Tippu-Tib having 
left Kassongo. 

February 11th. — Another Bolobo man dead (53 
deaths). Our departure is put off to Tuesday. 

February/ 12th, Sunday. — The men had a whole 
holiday, as usual on Sunday. Bonny bought a very 
good specimen of the white-nosed monkey yesterday. 
The river is so low now that in some places I think one 
could wade across. 

February loth. — Busy all day arranging my store and 
packing. 




Tattooing. 




A Glimpse across Artjwimi Eiver. 



CHAPTER VII. 



February 14th to Aprll 26th. 

Start with the Major for Stanley Falls. — Meet a number of men from 
Kassongo. — Siugatini. — Interview with Nzige. — No news of Stanley. — 
Hunting for game in the jungle. — Letter from Yambiiya Camp. — Shock 
of earthquake. — Anxious waiting. — Sketching regarded as sorcery by 
Mahommedans. — Fever. — Letter from Troup.— liarttelot arranges to 
send Jameson to Kassongo. — Letter to Mrs. Jameson. — Start for Kas- 
songo. — Tankeewee. — Wild-looking natives. — Wamanga Rapids. — ■ 
Meet men from Kassongo. — Kibonge. — Jameson writes to Stanley. — 
Kapruta. — Assad Farran hunts for onions. — Kosuku. — Kindness of Arab 
chief. — Poisoned arrows. — Kiba-lliba. — Shooting hippos. — Three great 



210 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

chiefs. — Tippu-Tib's names. — Dangerous natives. — Head men fear a 
night attack.— Quanga. — Nyang^vd. — Kindness of Arabs. — Arrival at 
Kassongo. — Tippu-Tib. — Fertile country. — Salem Masudi. — Tippu 
agrees to provide men. — Sketching. — .Jameson writes to Mr, Mackin- 
non. — Letter to Mrs. Jameson. — Arab customs. — Conversation with 
Tippu-Tib, — Muni Katomba. 

Feb^ii F^^'^'^f^'^y ^^th. — Left Yambuya Camp for Singatini. 

Yaweeko. ^'^^ ^ -'^^^S Hiarch to Yaweeko. Crossed nineteen 
streams. Found a very beautiful small white tree-frog 
in the forest. Belly bright lemon-orange. Toes dark 
orange. Rest of body pure milky white. Eyes, black 
centre, surrounded by ring of bright gold, rest of eye 
reddish gold. Same size as small green tree-frog com- 
monly sold at home. When put into a box, it faded 
into pale reddish white. It was found close to shrubs, 
some with pure white leaves, and others with light red 
leaves. Assad Farran was behind, took the wrong path, 
and did not get into camp until next morning. 

February \hfli. — Passed a very bad night. My 
clothes were wet, and as my bag did not arrive until 
this morning, I had to sleep in my shirt and waterproof. 
Mosquitoes and a host of detestable insects fed on my 
legs all night. Started late, and marched through the 
cane-brake beyond Yarina, when we missed our road 
and camped for the night. Assad Farran was again 
lost ; he declared in the morning that whilst going up 
the bed of the stream yesterday he heard a fearful noise 
above the bank, and thinking it was some very large 
beast trying to climb a tree, he hurried on. In the village 
of Yarina there was a small patch of millet growing. 
When Assad Farran heard us discuss what sort of corn 
it was, he remarked that he thought it must be macaroni. 
The cane-brake was so trodden down by elephants that 
it was almost impossible to follow the track. 

February l^th. — Some of the men went out at day- 
break to look for Assad Farran, and Selim Mahommed 
went to find the right road. The men returned without 
Assad, so the Major and I started off to look for him. 
After going some distance, we heard shots in camp, 
and found that he had returned. Selim soon came in, 



DIARY. 



211 



and we made a start about midday, camping near the ^l^\^^ 
long water just as it got dark. Assad was again left Yaiisuia. 
behind, and men had to be sent out for him. 

February VI th, — Marched into Yalisula about 3 o'clock, 
just in time to miss a heavy thunderstorm. One scene 
on the march formed a very beautiful picture. As 
the carriers wound their way in a long line over the 
white sand, now thickly strewn with brown dead leaves, 




Small War-knife. 



and up the high wooded banks, gleams of sunshine 
fell upon them through the dark tropical foliage. In 
the foreground lay an old log across the stream, over 
which had crept mosses and large ferns, and far away 
through the depths of the forest, every now and again 
gleamed patches of sunlight on water and figures, while 
from bough to bough, hanging in graceful festoons, clung 
giant creepers. Saidi Chongo, the Arab in charge of 
Yalisula, made us a present of a splendid fish, carp- 
shaped, weighing close on 20 lbs., and a goat, so we 
were in clover. Spent most of the evening in endea- 
vouring to avoid the streams of water which came 
through the roof of our house. 

February ISth. — After paying carriers. Sec, we got 
into canoes, and started up river about midday, and 
reached Yatuka, where we stopped for the night, at 
9 P.M. Shortly after leaving Yalisula, we passed a 
number of canoes, filled with men from Kassongo, who 
we found were on their way to Selim Mahommed, at 

p2 



212 STOBT OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

J^\^ our camp. He told the Arab in charge of them to 
Yatuka ^^^^ ^^^^ Yalisula a few days, until his return. We 
left Yalisula in great style, with chiefs paddling us, 
and a band of drums in each canoe. The group of men 
paddling, and musicians in the stern, made a fine picture, 
full of life and action, and the singing and drumming 
added to the wildness of the scene. The Major, in 
the foreground, lying on a bale of cloth, surrounded by 
guns, bags, and cooking-pots ; two boys seated behind 
him, one a little in front of the other ; then two men 
paddling, standing on the bottom of the canoe, between 
whom stood a man singing, his right hand raised, 
using a switch as a Mton\ beside him, seated on the 
edge of the canoe, a boy, beating a drum between his 
knees. Behind these again stood two men on the high 
end of the canoe, paddling, and then another seated, 
beating a drum. The red dye of the cam-wood, which 
adorned their hair and clothes alike, the monkey skins 
and feather hats, the knives hanging from the band 
over the shoulders, the brass and copper bracelets and 
anklets, all added to the bright and picturesque effect 
of the scene, to which one element lent a strong cha- 
racteristic, viz. the tattooing on all the figures. I shot 
a very fine black monkey, with remarkably long hair. 
It is jet-black all over with the exception of a tuft of 
long white hair on each shoulder, and the lower half 
of the tail, which is white. It measures ^n% feet 
two inches, from nose to tip of tail, the tail being very 
long. Skinned him in the canoe, by the light of a 
small palm-oil lamp, giving the meat to the natives, 
who sang with delight. 

'February 19^A, Sunfiay. — Left Yatuka early and 
reached upper Tatiacusu about 6 p.m. Shot two large 
white-nosed monkeys for the natives. Found black and 
large orange weaver-birds breeding on the same tree. 
Slept in a native hut. The natives kept up singing and 
dancing nearly all night. We thought it was in honour 
of us, but discovered it was in that of a small boy who 
had been circumcised. 



DIAUT. 



213 




Slave Giel. 



February 20t/L — Left Tatiacusu, 8 a.m., and reached 
Singatini at 3 p.m. On our arrival we had an interview 
with Nzige, Tippu's brother, who told ns that the 150 
men we had passed in the canoes near Yalisula had 
come from Kassongo, besides 50 more, who were some- 
where else. Tippu-Tib would not be back until next 
month. No news whatever of Stanley. Tippu-Tib 
would bring more men with him, but how many he 
could not say. Altogether the interview was most un- 
satisfactory. He gave us the same house that Ward 



1888. 
Feb. 20. 

Singatini. 



214 STOBY OF THE BEAB COLUMN, 

P^b^o ^^^ ^ ^^^ before. Heavy thunderstorm and rain nearly 
singatini. all night. 

February 21st. — Had an interview with Nzige, when 
Barttelot presented him with a very handsome knife. 
He again told us that two hundred men had come with 
orders to wait under Selim Mahommed at our camp 
until Tippu-Tib's arrival. The canoes have gone back 
to Kassongo to bring more men with Tippu next month. 
He was as anxious as we were about Mr. Stanley, and 
was very glad to see us here. Selim Mahommed came 
up to our house afterwards and gave us the same news, 
and he said that the people most likely to stop Stanley 
were those of the country at the southern end of Lake 
Albert Nyanza, who had been feared by Dr. Lenz, and 
who were governed by a very powerful king. He said 
he should like to go with us himself. Arranged to go 
after chimpanzees and buffalo to-morrow. The river is 
very full, and it is a fine sight to watch the natives 
lifting the fish baskets under the falls. Called on old 
Nasoro Masudi, who told us that Mahommed bin Said 
had gone to Kassongo, where he had married the girl 
intended for his grandson. 

February 22nd. — Selim's men never came, so I sent 
down to Nzige for some, and as soon as they turned 
up, went for a long round through the forest, at the 
back of Singatini. Saw no fresh track of elephant 
or buffalo, but a good many fresh ones of antelope, 
although I did not get a shot. The Major had a 
bad bilious headache, so he did not come out. No 
news of any kind. The natives cannot understand 
where Tippu-Tib comes from ; they declare his mother 
is either here or at Kassongo, and they are puzzled 
about his having come up the Congo with Stanley. 

February 23rd. — Had a long day in the juagle on 
the other side of the river, looking for chimpanzees. 
Lately I have heard nothing but tales of the wonderful 
numbers of elephants, buffaloes, and chimpanzees which 



DIARY. 



215 




My Fkiend " Mastjdi," one oe the Tamba-Tambas, 



1888. 
Feb. 23. 



haunt this neighbourhood, but to-day I did not see a 
fresh track of one of them ! A heavy thunderstorm singatiai 
came on ai 2 o'clock, with torrents of rain and a gale 
of wind. Altogether I had a bad time of it. It is 
great fun crossing the river now, as it is in full flood, 



216 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 

Fdf^23 ^^^ ^^^ canoes get twisted and turned about in the 
Singatini. ^^st extraordinary way. 

February IMli. — Another long day in the jungle on 
the other side of the river. Not a sign of any game ; 
shot three small monkeys to pay the natives. Spent 
the whole day, with my chin nearly between my knees, 
going through cane-brakes, swamps, and thick jungle ; 
luckily there was no rain. Selim Mahommed left for 
Yambuya. The white-nosed monkey (not the lesser) 
seems to be the commonest here. Saw the natives 
get a splendid fish out of one of the baskets to-day, 
which must have weighed at least 60 or 70 lbs*. It was 
a large carp-like fish, and two men were carrying it. 

February 2t)tli. — A lazy day. Nzige and a number 
of Arabs paid us a visit and had a great inspection of 
our guns, and Nzige said he would give us a canoe and 
men to go up the Chopo River for two or three days' 
shooting. Some men arrived from Kassongo or Nyangwe 
this morning, but they were all for Sheik Habib on the 
Lumami River. The only news they brought was that 
Tippu was still collecting men at Kassongo. The 
Major and I took a long walk through the forest, and I 
shot a very fine nightjar and a large squirrel. 

February 26th, Sunday. — Very dull day. Skinned 
the nightjar and the squirrel, and found inside the 
former a fully developed egg, pure white, and as large 
as a pigeon's. Bought some fowls and onions to take 
with us to-morrow. As Nzige's men did not turn up, 
he is sending us to a village of his, about three hours' 
walk on the other side of the river. Put a new sight 
into the Major's Winchester. Had a very vivid dream 
last night of Mr. Stanley's return. 

February 27th. — Nzige asked us to start to-morrow, 
so we put off going till then. He has written to Tippu- 
Tib, telling him that we are both here anxiously await- 
ing his arrival. From all accounts there seems to be 
plenty of game where we are going, and poor old Nzige 
seems quite pleased at the chance of our shooting him 



DIABT, 217 

some ivory. Was rather seedy, so simply did nothing p^?^?;- 
all clay. Si'g^^^; 

February 2Sth, — Left soon after breakfast, and having 
crossed the river and marched for three hours in a N.E. 
direction, reached this village, called Batiumbele. The 
head Arab, called Nunikatoto, had prepared a house for 
us, the only drawback to which was that the mud-walls 
were still dripping wet, it being only just finished. 
Arranged with Mabruki, a native chief of the nearest 
village, to start at daybreak to hunt for elephants. 

February 29th. — Mabruki did not arrive till late. 
Saw fresh elephant- tracks, and having followed them 
some distance found another native Avas after them a 
long way ahead, so gave it up. Looked about through 
jungle all day, but did no good. 

March 1st. — Natives never came until 10 o'clock, and 
the consequence was that although we found fresh 
elephant-tracks and followed them until evening, we 
never caught them up. . Got a shot at a chimpanzee, 
but the cane-brake was too thick, so I did not get him. 
The natives swear they will come to-morrow morning 
at daybreak. 

March 2nd. — ^Natives did not turn up until late, so 
we packed up and returned to Singatini. The Major 
told Nzige that he wished to see him privately on 
business, so he came alone to our house. Barttelot 
then informed him that in consequence of receiving no 
news of Stanley, or from Tippu-Tib, and having im- 
portant proposals to make to the latter, he meant to 
send me to Kassongo, to meet Tippu there, on his 
way to Singatini. The Major explained to him that 
the case was very urgent, and that he was going to 
convert our loads into half loads, as he knew that their 
weight was one of the reasons why we could not obtain 
carriers. He wished Tippu to supply him Avith 400 
fighting men, as well as the GOO carriers. Therefore it 
was necessary to place before Tippu his proposals for 
men and their payment as soon as possible. Nzige 



218 8T0RT OF THE REAR COLUMN, 

M^^fh 2. replied that the natives here refuse to go up river, that 
singatini. ^^^ ^^^u Were not able to paddle, but if I Avould wait 
ten or twelve days he expected canoes with letters 
and men (from Tippu), with whom I could return. He 
promised to send me by the first canoe that came, which 
possibly might be in a few days' time. He was most 
courteous, and assured us he would do all in his power 
to help us. Two of the cocks at the back of the house 
began to fight, a scene which appeared to be fraught with 
interest to this philanthropically-minded old gentleman! 

March ord. — The Major presented Nzige with a box 
of matakas. He seems greatly annoyed at our getting 
no elephants. Late last night, as we were going to 
bed, two Zanzibaris from the camp arrived with a note 
from Troup to the Major. We both thought that it 
would either announce news from Stanley or a mutiny 
in the camp, but it contained no news beyond the general 
condition of the camp, and the fact that fifty men from 
Kassongo had arrived for us. 

March Uh, Sunday. — Another lazy day. The Major 
and I meant to take a long round through the jungle, but 
it rained steadily most of the day. Nzige sent for us in the 
afternoon to see some canoe races, which were a failure. 
There were two canoes, one containing about fifty or 
sixty men, the other about half that number, and all 
they did was to paddle across to the other side ! After 
this we had a long talk with Nzige, and told him a lot 
about England, and he expressed a wish to accompany 
us thither on our return, but inquired anxiously if he 
would receive many presents there, as, if he returned 
here without any, Tippu would request to know why he 
ever went ! 

March bth. — We sent back Troup's messengers and 
one of our own men to the camp to-day. Sketched 
some of the people here. About 10 o'clock this morn- 
ing we felt a distinct shock of earthquake. There was 
a hollow rumbling sound like distant thunder, and the 
whole earth trembled, giving our house and everything 



DiAitr 



219 




*' Mashtjkulu.' 



in it a decided shake. Barttelot and I took a long ^"^^^f^ 
ramble through the forest, where I shot a very hand- giiLatini 
some weaver-bird, a parrot, and a squirrel. 

March 6th. — Another lazy day. Sketched a small 
drummer-boy from Kassongo. The Major made two 
trips into the jungle, whilst I was sketching, in search 
of birds wounded yesterday. The first time he returned 
with a parrot, and the next with a large crested lory. 
I skinned the weaver-bird and took plumes from both 
the parrots. In the evening I made a great stew of 



220 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 

Af ^hfi P^^ots, lory, &c., which was voted a decided success. 

SiiTatmi '^^^ monotony of this existence is awful, and the harder 
to bear with the consciousness that the fate of Mr. 
Stanley and his party may hang upon our course of 
action ; and yet here we are, unable to move hand or 
foot, and praying daily for a canoe from Kassongo, that 
I, at least, may be able to get hold of Tippu-Tib. About 
one third of our force at Yambuya have died, and I fear 
many more will die before we leave it. 

March 7th. — Sketched one. of the chief Arabs here, 
and two women of his harem. No news. A man died 
here yesterday, and a good many are sick. It looks to 
me like small-pox. 

March Sth. — Finished the sketch of Yahid bin Hamis. 
Never has life seemed so weary and utterly useless, and 
yet one can do nothing to alter it. 

March 9fh. — I find that most of the unenlightened 
Mahommedans look upon picture-drawing as a species 
of sorcery, and will not allow me to sketch them at 
any price. They say, if you wish to kill the person 
you have drawn, you have only to tear off the head 
in the picture, when the subject of the sketch will 
certainly lose his or her head. Even the more en- 
lightened look askance at it. When I asked Nzige 
to let me make a sketch of him, he replied that he 
had not quite made up his mind, but would let me 
know when he did ! 

March lOth.^ 
March nth. > Fever. 
March Uth.J 

March 13th. — Up all day, but still seedy. Have lost 
a stone in weight. I was to start to-morrow in a canoe, 
but in a letter received by old Nasoro it is stated that 
canoes and letters from Tippu-Tib will be here to- 
morrow, so I shall most likely get away the day after. 
Nzige urges that it is better for me to go in one of 
Tippu-Tib's canoes, as the men in the others do not 
belong to him. 



DIARY, 



221 




Ot.x^ 



" Curet-Eyes," the Tight of the Haeem oe Yahid bin Hamis. 



March lith. — Men arrived from Kassongo at last. Marc^i4. 
Sixty were sent for us, but only fifty-two arrived, eight singatini. 
having died on the road, of small-pox. Tippu-Tib >vill 
not leave Kassongo until after the return of these canoes, 
so I start with them on Sunday. It takes thirty days 



222 STOEF OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

Mirdfi4. ^^ ?®* there, weary work when one is not fit. The 
Singatini. Major is going back to Yambuya, and will make 
arrangements to send a white officer down the Congo 
in a canoe to despatch a telegram and letters to the 
Committee, stating our present situation, and asking 
their advice. 

March Ibth. — Took a stroll for the first time during 
the last six days. The Major is arranging with Nzige 
about a canoe. One of the head Arabs who live here, 
Nasoro bin Saef, arrived to-day, returning from a big 
slave and ivory hunt. There was the usual amount of 
shouting and shooting. It almost always rains here now 
at daybreak or in the evening. 

March IQth. — Nasoro bin Saef brought letters to the 
Major firom Troup. All is right at Yambuya, except 
that three of the men from Kassongo have got small- 
pox. Nasoro bin Saef had seen two deserters from 
Stanley's force, who are now at Abdullah Karongo's 
camp at Unaria. They had been there over two months, 
and asserted that Stanley had taken five months to reach 
the point at which they deserted. Seven of them left 
together, and it took them a month in a canoe, coming 
down stream, to reach Abdullah's camp. The canoe 
had been upset, and five of them were drowned or eaten 
by the cannibals. The native villages they had come 
to before they deserted were very large, but on the 
approach of the force the natives crossed to the other 
side of the river, so there was little fighting. All the 
white men were well. Stanley had been wounded near 
the ankle by an arrow, but was all right again. At a 
village above Unaria, Abdullah found a rifie and pieces 
of cloth. 

March 17th. — Spent most of the day looking at 
canoes, as the Major wants to buy two for Ward to 
go down river in. He succeeded in getting one after a 
weary hunt among rotten ones. 



EXTRACT FBOM LETTER. 



223 




A Savage taking his e-ase. — Stanley Falls. 



PEOM A LETTER TO MES. JAMESON. 

Stanley Falls, 

Upper Congo, 
March 17th, 1888. 

... At last, after all these long weary months, I think 
there is a chance of a letter reaching yoa. Not one 
word have I heard from you since that letter written 
from Italy, dated April 28th, 1887, now all but a year 
ago, and you can imagine how anxious I often feel. 
In my last letter to you in August, I told you that by 
some bad luck we might be left in the camp at Yam- 
buya until Mr. Stanley's return in November. But, 
alas ! he has never come back, and we are there still. 
I only left it the other day, with Barttelot, to come here 



1888. 
March 17. 

Stanley 
Falls. 



224 STORY OF THE BEAU COLUMN, 

M^^^hiT ^^^ ^^^ Tippu-Tib, but he is at Kassongo, about 300 
Stanley ^^^^ froui here, higher up the Congo, and not far from 
Falls. Lake Tanganyika, and I have to start off in a canoe 
to-morrow, and do thirty weary days' journey to see the 
great Tippu-Tib, and force him to come to definite 
terms once and for all. The Major goes back to Yam- 
buya, and will send two canoes down the Congo with 
letters and a white officer to send a telegram to the 
Committee in London, telling them of the serious situa- 
tion, and asking their advice. The last report of 
Stanley's party that is at all authentic was brought 
here yesterday by an Arab who has been at an Arab 
camp a long way higher up the Aruwimi River than 
Yambuya. . . . According to him, it must have taken 
Stanley the whole time, in which he meant to go to the 
Lake and return to our camp, to get to the point on 
the Aruwimi River at which the deserters left him! 
We have not heard a single word of really authentic 
information about him, and not one atom of news sent 
personally by him, so we take it for granted that he is 
in a very bad scrape of some sort, and evidently in such 
a position that he is unable to get any news out to us. 
I will now tell you our part of the history. On August 
23rd, the men from Tippu-Tib never having arrived, 
Barttelot sent me off to Stanley Falls to interview Tippu- 
Tib personally on the subject, and I did not return until 
September 12th. My interview with him was most 
satisfactory ; he made the most plausible excuses for the 
non-arrival of his men, and gave the most gushing pro- 
mises of instant aid. The result of all these promises 
was that after many weeks sixty-four men arrived, which 
small number was of not the slightest use to us. Bart- 
telot then went in October to Stanley Falls, and there 
saw Tippu-Tib, who informed him that he could not 
get the men there, and must go to Kassongo to obtain 
them. He left for that purpose early in November, but 
up to the present date he has only sent us two hundred 
men altogether. You can imagine how utterly helpless 
we are, and how utterly dependent upon Tippu-Tib, 
when I tell you that we have already lost fully one 



EXTRACT FROM LETTER. 225 

third of our entire force at Yambuya Camp from sick- 1888. 
ness, and that I do not believe we could produce eighty ^^l^^^ 
really sound carriers to-morrow, and yet we have between Fails. 
six and seven hundred loads there. This hope de- 
ferred, and weary waiting, month after month, with no 
brighter outlook, is horrible work, far, far worse than 
any amount of hardship and fighting. No steamer has 
been up the Congo since the one that came to us in 
August, so that we are completely shut off from all the 
world. . . . When I look ahead and see nothing but 
darkness, and no signs of its brightening, it drives me 
nearly mad at times. If my interview with Tippu-Tib is 
satisfactory, I may expect to be back at Yambuya at the 
end of the second or third week in May, and then if we 
have the whole 600 carriers and 400 fighting men we 
want from Tippu-Tib, or as many under that number as 
he can give us, we shall start at once up the Lake to 
relieve Stanley, or at least find out what has happened 
to him, and see if Emin Pasha is still there. If we do 
not meet Stanley before we get to the Lake, and are 
detained there for some time, I do not see that we can 
get home much before the New Year ; but, on the 
other hand, Stanley may turn up any day, in which 
case we could be home as soon as the end of 
September, or beginning of October. If Stanley is 
really in a bad ^il^ and we succeed in relieving him, I 
am afraid that by that time there will be little hope of 
our being able to relieve Emin Pasha ; but still we 

shall have done all that lies in our power My 

pleasures in this existence (I cannot call it anything 
else) are few, but the most enjoyable of them was on 
the anniversary of our wedding-day, when we had quite 
a feast in camp. We killed an enormous goat which 
Tippu-Tib hacl sent me as a present, and feasted right 
royally in your honour. We ate to your long life and 
happiness, for we had nothing to drink it in. I have 
done a great deal of drawing and painting in my diary, 
and am looking longingly forward to the day when you 
and I shall go through it all. Ever since Mr. Stanley's 
non-arrival in November there has been a sort of fflooir 



226 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

1888. over all of us in Yambuya Camp, sometimes brightened 
stinie * ^P ^y ^^^ news of approaching help from Tippu-Tib, 

Falls, only to be made darker by the help being put off for 
indefinite months. It is a sad, sad sight, to see men 
dying round you every day and not to be able to put 
out a hand to save them. Without a single fight we 
have lost close upon seventy men out of our small 
force, and there are many more who, I am sorry to say, 
will never leave that camp, or, if we leave it, must be 
left there to die. I have had my turn of health and 
sickness, but I must thank God that I have been in 
better health than almost any other officer. ... I have 
learned nearly the whole of the ' Light of Asia ' by 
heart, and there is something of real comfort in the 
many beautiful truths contained in it. I am sending 
you a small telegram, just to tell you I am well, as I 
know you will value one small one from me more than 
the long one that goes to the Committee ! I am afraid 
I shall arrive at Zanzibar with literally nothing but a 
few rags upon my back. As Stanley would not give 
me another carrier, I had to send a lot of really necessary 
clothing, &c., to England, in order to be able to carry 
my ammunition and collecting-things. I will write you 
another long letter from Kassongo which I will send to 
Zanzibar. I am going alone, with only an interpreter 
and tAVO boys. It seems so sad to have to go all the 
way to Kassongo (so far on my way to Zanzibar), and to 
have to turn back again. And now good night and 
good-bye ; kiss the little ones for me, and may God 
keep you all in His safe keeping. . . . 



DIAEY {continued), 

March 18^A, Sunday. — Started for Kassongo at last. 
I am sorry to say I left the Major very seedy indeed, 
and I attribute both our illnesses principally to the 
want of proper food. We have had nothing to eat but 
fish, seldom fresh, boiled to rags in a little water, 
plantains and sweet potatoes soaked in palm-oil of the 
coarsest description, and scarcely cooked. I had to 



DIARY. 227 

wait two hours while Nzige finished his letters, and to ^^^?f',j. 
while away the time Nasoro gave me about the best ^^kluia 
curried fowl I have ever eaten, and I did not waste 
either my time or the fowl ! We got away at 2 o'clock 
and camped at a village called Atkalela* at dark. I 
slept in the canoe, as there were only about four square 
yards of open ground, upon which all the natives lay 
around the iires. The smoke was so dense that the 
mosquitoes had no chance of living, and human beings 
but a poor one. 

March 19th. — Started at daybreak and kept steadily 
on all day until 5 o'clock. The banks continue the 
same as lower down, thickly covered with dense tropical 
vegetation. 

March 20th. — We sent the canoes up over the rapids 
empty, and carried all the ivory and loads round by land. 
The path was a good one, and we did it in little over 
an hour, after which we journeyed on in the canoes till 
sunset. I again slept in the canoe. Had a bad night; 
there was a lot of water in the canoe, and the Kassongo 
natives are perfect devils at arguing all night at the top 
of their voices. You stop them, but in about ten 
minutes, just as you are dropping off to sleep, you will 
hear a whisper, which soon swells into a louder dispute 
than ever. The village we stopped at, in common with 
the whole group on this bank, is called Yankewe. I 
find all the villages are built in groups, each group 
bearing a separate name. From the rapids (where 
we had to portage) to Yankewe it is navigable for {* 
steamer, but the numerous rocks make it very dangerous. 
One very bad passage cannot be avoided. When we 
camped, the natives came down in great numbers. They 
are a very wild-looking set of fellows, many having guns. 
Their spears are quite different from those used below 
Stanley Falls and on the Aruwimi Eiver, being very 
long in the shaft, and having a short broad blade, some- 
times not longer than three inches. They brought a 

* See Map. 

ci2 



228 



STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 




My Bow Paddle. 



1888. 
March 20. 

Yankewe. 



small chimpanzee to sell, but wanted a gun for it, so I 
could not buy it. It was a comical beast, and the very 
image of the one at the Zoo, though not so large. I 
saw the first limestone to-day since passing a small 
river near Banza Manteka, below Stanley Pool. The 
banks of the river opposite Yankewe are limestone, 
with some very pretty caves in them. 



DIAEY. 229 

March 21st. — Terribly slow day's work, only going I888. 
for some time at the rate of one mile an hour. We ^^"^^ '^\ 
started before daybreak, and soon passed ten canoes full kimM*" 
of men from Kassongo, in charge of an Arab, E-achid 
ben Serur. He stopped and came into our canoe, and 
told me he did not know if any of the men in them 
were for us, but that five of the canoes were for Nzige. 
He did not know the number of men, and I could not 
count them, as they were all mixed up with boys and 
women. He said that Tippu had sent an Arab to 
Ujiji for men, and that he thought Tippu-Tib would not 
leave Kassongo until after Hamadan, which is in May. 
The bank on our left is composed of sandstone rock, 
and very steep. We passed numerous villages, the 
natives of which wanted to exchange canoes for guns, 
the price of a canoe being one gun. Some of the 
canoe landing-places would make pretty sketches. They 
are clefts in the sandstone rock, with steps worn or cut 
in them, rising from a small open space at the water's 
edge, from which spring giant-stemmed trees, with 
festoons of enormous creepers hanging from them. The 
whole picture should lie in deep shadow, with a streak 
of bright sunlight falling through the trees, from high 
up in the cleft, on the dark forms of the natives as they 
sit or stand round the bases of the giant stems. We 
camped at W^onyakimbi, a village in charge of some of 
Tippu's Arabs, where I secured a hut, and passed a 
much better night than the last, although the mos- 
quitoes were bad. Opposite the village lies a low, long, 
grass-covered island, with a number of hippopotami 
on it. ^ 

March 22nd. — Started at daybreak and reached Wa- 
manga Rapids about 12 o'clock. Here we passed three 
canoes full of men from Kassongo, belonging to Tippu- 
Tib, but I don't think they were for us, as they were 
most of them the white-shirted Tamba-Tambas. Pitched 
my tent and made a sketch of the rapids. The natives 
here wear large ear-rings of semicircular teeth. 

March 23rd. — It was almost a quarter of a mile to 



230 STORY OF THE HEAR COLUMN. 

T.T^^?'oo where the real rapids be^an. Here the whole river 

March 23. , , , ^^ o 

Wamanga ^^shes through a passage not more than one hundred 
yards wide, and at very low water not more than sixty. 
Everything was taken out of the canoes and carried up 
to the head of the rapids by the Kassongo natives, or 
Wagania, as they are called, to a distance of about two 
miles. The natives of Wamanga hauled the canoes up 
the rapids, and in many places over the bare rocks. 
They are paid at the rate of an axe for every canoe. 
The canoes and all the loads reached the head of the 
rapids at mid-day, but not a foot further than this point 
would the men go, although I used strong language, 
and swore that Tippu-Tib would have vengeance on 
them. Eventually I had nothing to do but to pitch my 
tent and make the best of it. Got another sketch of 
the rapids. The view is not at all unlike Millais's land- 
scape " The sound of many waters," strange as it may 
seem. 

March 24ith. — Started at daybreak. After some 
hours came to rapids, and passed the mouth of the 
Waundwy E,iver, which looks about the size of the 
Chopo and Wamanga rivers, but from the little current 
in it I should not think it is large. The colour of the 
water is rich dark brown, quite different from the muddy 
waters of the Congo. We stopped for the night at 
Bangingele, which is under Tippu-Tib's Arabs. I slept 
in the canoe, as we were to make an early start. At the 
rapids we met two canoes full of men from Kibonge. 
They told me there was a man named Mirabu at 
Kibonge, who had seen Mr. Stanley a long time ago, 
far up country, still on his road to the Lake ; there 
Stanley had given him two guns, and had spoken of 
boxes which he wished to get to our camp. This was 
all I could elicit from Farani, whose English is very 
imperfect. 

March 2bth, Sunday. — Started before daybreak and 
reached Ej.bonge, about 5.30 p.m. It is a large place, 
more than twice the size of Singatini. There are a 
great number of Arabs, evidently from all parts, here. 



DIARY. 233 




KiBONGi:. 

188S 

They gave me my choice of two houses, telling me to March 25. 
ask for whatever I needed, and brought me one bowl of xibonge. 
the most delicious thick milk and another of fresh milk. 
I am in luck, as I have every symptom of a dose of 
dysentery, and the milk is the very thing I wanted. 
They have four cows here ; there were six, but two died 
from the fly and eating bad grass. They also gave me 
lovely ripe bananas and guavas, but, alas ! I could not 
eat them- The chief Arab, Kibonge, is away, but his 
representative, Sala bin Ali, did all he could for me ; 
he assured me that men from this place had met 
Stanley very far up the Aruwimi River, when he had 
left forty sick men with them, and given their guns 
into the Arabs' charge. There is one Arab here from 
Madagascar who speaks a little French, but it is very 
difficult to understand the little he does speak. The 
whole place is under the chieftainship of Kibonge, an 
Arab who came from Madagascar, and who has given 
his name to the town. He is himself subservient to 
Said bin Abede, whose headquarters are at Nyangwe. 
His people hunt for ivory and slaves, principally to the 
N. East ; in this way they avoid interfering with the 



234: STOET OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

M^^T'25 ^^ll^^^^s ^^ other Arabs. Although I was giyen a 
Kibonffe ^^^^^j I could in 110 waj call it my own. Every Arab 
here appeared to have sent his women to see me, and 
they were regularly ushered in, about ten at a time. 
Every Arab who knew any language but his own at- 
tempted to interview me in it ; I was tried in English, 
French, and Hindustani. Added to this my host started 
a band of drums and women singing, so altogether I 
had rather a bad time of it. 

March 2Qth. — Ali bin Hanis says there are no de- 
serters from Stanley's force here. The report arose 
from the fact of the forty sick men having been left with 
the Arabs, to whom also Stanley gave their guns, with 
orders to keep them until his return along that road. 
Spent most of the day and half the night in writing 
letters to Mr. Stanley and the Major ; the one * to 
the former I am sending to Eturi, the place where the 
Kibonge men met him, as it may find him on his 
return, or before we meet. I find that Kibonge is an 
independent chief, only slightly subservient to Said 
bin Abede. Kibonge, Said bin Abede, Said bin Habib, 
Muni Mahara, and Hamed bin Hamis, chief of Eiba- 
E-iba, are among the important Arab chiefs, who owe 
no allegiance to Tippu-Tib, and only act with him in 
any common cause, each owning a separate district for 
slave and ivory hunting. In a very few years, I should 
say, these Arabs will have overrun the whole of Central 
Africa. There is no road between this and Stanley 
Falls. The general opinion here is that Stanley has 
met with no mishap. I was badgered the whole day 
by interviews with all the Arabs, and finally refused to 
see or to be seen by any one who was not of great 
importance, the female element being entirely kept out. 
The Kibonge people presented me with a large sack of 
rice and a sheep. My host, whilst striving to impress 
upon me the importance of such a present, told me he 
was one of the chief men at Kibonge, and had given me 
his house, and suggested that I should therefore give 

* See ' Life of Edmund Musgrave Barttelot,' Appendix III. 



DIARY. 



235 




Native of Wama-fga. 



him a whole piece of handkerchief, and ten matakas for 
each of his women, of whom he has fifty ! Kibonge's 
representative, Sala bin Ali, also presented me with a 
sack of rice and a quantity of delicious limes and guavas. 
My host, I am sorry to say, has been more or less intoxi- 
cated with palm-wine during the whole of my siay 
here. 



1888. 
March 26. 

.Kibong6. 



March 21th. — My host, one Kapruta by name, told 
me a long story last night of how he had met Stanley 
on his road across Africa at Nyangwe. I started from 
here with a fat-tailed sheep (only so in name !), two 
sacks of rice, a lot of guavas and limes, and a large 
bundle of sugar-cane — all presents from the Kibonge 
folk. They have a donkey here as well as the cows. 



236 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 

1888. The town is larger than I at first supposed, quite four 
^'^ , ' times as big as Singatini, and the gardens extend to a 
great distance. They say it is very unhealthy, fever 
being prevalent, owing to the cold and damp. It seems 
to be a great centre for ivory trading, which is of 
course accompanied by slave-dealing. We did not 
get away until 11 o'clock, principally owing to Assad 
Farran, who was loafing about on his ovni account, 
hunting for onions, and I had men out searching for 
him for over an hour. The head Arabs appear to 
lead a very idle life, leaving all the slave and ivory 
hunting to their followers. My host, a decidedly low- 
caste Arab (if one at all), spent his evenings in the 
midst of his fifty women, with a band of Kassongo 
drums and rattles playing incessantly, whilst the women 
grunted and squeaked a most unmelodious chant. 
This was generally kept up till midnight, though I 
think the time of duration greatly depended upon the 
amount of palm-wine he had drunk. We did a good 
day's work, camping about 5.30 amidst splendid timber 
on the river-bank. I had to kill the sheep, which, 
having been tied to the bottom of the canoe, was nearly 
dead from the heat of the sun. I find that a present 
of a few matakas to the men in the canoe has a won- 
derful effect; they worked splendidly, to-day. Five 
canoes have joined us from Kibonge, so our fleet 
consists of seventeen canoes, and a pretty picture they 
make, winding up the river with their white awnings 
and red and white fla^s, beneath the shadows of the 
tall dark forest trees. 

March 2Sth. — So far the birds and butterflies are 
the same as on the Aruwimi Elver. Last night the 
mosquitoes were terrible ; they simply dragged the 
handkerchief off my face ! ! Some of our camping 
places are the most swampy, feverish spots I have ever 
seen, notably the one we camped in this evening. As 
caravan after caravan camp in the same place, without 
paying any attention to cleanliness, the condition of 
these resting-places can be better imagined than de- 



JDIABT. 237 

scribed. Assad Farran says he has had a bad fever, ^yr^^^oQ 
but I think he has overeaten himself on onions. The Z, , 

Kibonge 

river-banks here are low, but the timber is very toKasuku. 
fine. 

March 2^th. — Did the best day's vrork since we 
started. We kept in close to the bank on our right, 
and although there were many villages on the other 
side, we did not go near them. The men say that the 
natives living between our last resting-place and the 
mouth of the Roba River are a very bad lot. The 
Arabs can do little or nothing with them. Almost all 
the villages have asked at different times to have a man 
from the Arabs stationed with them, but as it always 
ended in their being eaten, they have given up sending 
them. These villages and the Roba River belong to 
the Kibonge hunting-grounds. The Roba River flows 
due East, but, as far as one can see up it, comes from 
the N.E., and is very densely populated ; the natives 
are said to be very dangerous. Nearly all the villages 
here have a number of guns, thus being on a more 
equal footing with the Arab settlements. We had 
some splendid canoe racing in the evening. I shall thank 
Heaven when this monotonous journey is over. The 
scenery never varies : nothing to be seen but timber, 
water, and low islands, and one's only possible attitude 
is sitting cramped up like a trussed fowl the whole 
time. 

March 30fA. — Reached Kasuku, an Arab village at 
the mouth of the river of that name. During the ^ast 
two or three days I have noticed a great increase in the 
number of palm-trees, which makes the vegetation look 
more tropical. At mid-day we passed the mouth of 
the Linde, a large river flowing into the Congo on the 
left-hand bank, from the East. The Kasuku is not 
more than twenty yards wide at its mouth, although 
the Arabs tell me that it comes from a great distance. 
The town is built on both sides of it. On my arrival I 
was taken to a small reception shed, and inspected by 



23^ 



STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 



'-Siw^ 



^ 







*' A LONG SHOVE. AND A STEONG SHOVE, AND up SHE GOES ! '* 



1888. 



all the inhabitants, both Arab and native. Presently 
MarcTso. ^^1 brought me two enormous baskets of rice, which 
Kasuku. filled three sacks, four fowls, and thirteen fresh eggs, 
all of which I was told were presents from the chief 
Arab, who was sick and could not see me. I asked 
one of the head Arabs whether the natives used spears 
or bows and arrows, and he replied the latter. He 



DIARY. 



239 




And down she comes with a efn"/' 



ordered one of the natives to bring some. The arrows 
are long thin slips of hard wood, not much thicker than 
a match. Some of them are poisoned and very deadly. 
On inquiring of the natives what the poison was and 
where they got it from, they replied that they obtained 
part of it from a tree, and mixed it with snake poison, 
as well as with portions of the body of a child which 



1888. 
March 30. 

Kasukii. 



240 STORY OF THE REAR GOLUMN. 

M^h\o ^^^ been dead a long time, heating it all up together 
Kasuku.* ^^ ^ P^^' thus Composing a veritable hell-broth! I was 
given a house to sleep in. The women's dress here 
consists of a thin string round the waist, with a very 
small piece of cloth hanging down behind, and a yet 
smaller strip of plantain leaf hanging in front, which I 
think was only put on for the occasion. The men, I 
am happy to say, are more decent, which seems to be 
the case with all the natives of the Upper Congo. The 
hippos are distinctly on the increase. I would much 
prefer to sleep in my tent, but one cannot well refuse 
the chiefs' hospitality, when they turn out themselves, 
bag and baggage, leaving behind them, unfortunately, 
legions of smaller inhabitants who are not so easily 
evicted. I regret to say that the canoe is densely 
inhabited by more than one species. 

March Zlst. — We started at 9 o'clock, and did not stop 
until 9 P.M. Just before dark, the natives ran the 
canoe under a tree, and all but upset us. An Arab 
ran forward, and administered to one of them a licking 
with a stick; the other at once jumped overboard. 
When he got in, the belaboured man jumped over, but 
after a great deal of talk and many threats we made a 
fresh start. Finally, long after dark, we stopped at a 
place where I was informed there was no fire-wood, and 
therefore I could have no food, and the men refused to 
go on. I sent for the head man and told him in very 
forcible language that fire-wood must be produced, or I 
would go on. The fire-wood was produced. It is no 
use being complaisant to these head men ; the only plan 
is to let them know what you want, and that you mean 
to be obeyed. The banks, and in some parts the 
country inland, are now frequently covered Avith long 
grass, and palm trees instead of forest, and I noticed 
numerous bufialo-tracks in these places. My host of 
last night evidently distrusted the white man. There 
were two hens sitting on eggs in the room I slept in, 
and this morning, before we left, he asked leave to come 



DIABY. 241 

in and see if they were all there. Although I took none i^^^- 

of the hens' eggs, I am afraid I took with me a number ^ 

of the inhabitants of the small species mentioned Elver, 
above. 

April 1st, Sunday. — Started at the first streak of 
light, and went on until 3 o'clock, when we reached 
our camping-place. I had pitched my tent and made 
ever}'thing ready for the night, when they informed 
me that they would start again as soon as the moon 
was up, so I took down the tent, and slept in the 
canoe. 

April 2nd. — ^We started directly the moon was up, 
but after a couple of hours had to put in for shelter to 
escape a heavy thunderstorm. When it cleared a little 
we made a fresh start, but before reaching Riba-Kiba 
the rain came do^vn in torrents again and lasted until 
10 o'clock. We have to sleep here to-night. The 
chief, Mahommed bin Hamis, is a little old Arab with 
very Jewish features, except about the lips, which are 
very thin. He placed a house at my disposal, and sent 
me an excellent breakfast of curried mutton cutlets and 
cofiee. After breakfast I got some of the Kassongo 
natives and a canoe, and went off to shoot a hippo for 
the men. Just opposite the town and at the back of an 
island there were two, one of which I shot, and left a 
man watching for it to rise. I then w^ent after an old 
bull, and fired four shots at him, missing him every 
time. He was very mad, snorting and rearing his head 
and neck clean out of the water. I was still more 
mad ! The rifie was a Remington, with, I shouki say, a 
40-lb. pull, and each time I had to pull so hard it 
threw the muzzle up. The men in the canoe were 
fearfully disgusted ; so was I, so much so that I went 
straight back to the town, where I found that the man 
whom I had left watching the hippo had been taken away 
by the natives, so we never got one after all. I took a 
fairly good sketch of the chief. It is a curious fact 
that the Arabs, and I may say all the natives, hold a 



242 STOBY OF TEE REAR COLUMN. 

A^^^f 2 picture sideways when they look at it, even after they 

Riba-Eiba i^clerstand it. Landscape is quite beyond them ; with 

any amount of explanation they do not understand a 

picture as a whole, although they will recognize trees 

or figures in it. 

Mahommed bin Hamis is an independent chief. The 
three great chiefs of this country are Tippu-Tib, Said 
bin Abede, and Said bin Habib. Then come such 
others as Kibonge, Mahommed bin Hamis, and Muni 
Mahara, Tippu-Tib's two chief towns are Kassongo 
and Singatini, at Stanley Falls. Said bin Abede's head- 
quarters are at Nyangwe, as are also Said bin Habib's 
and Muni Mahara's. Tippu-Tib owns the whole of 
Manyema. At first there was much quarrelling and 
fighting amongst them, but now they are settled, and each 
chief owns large districts, in which they hunt for ivory and 
slaves. " Hamed bin Mahommed bin Dhuma," better 
known as Tippu-Tib, possesses three names — Tippu-Tib 
or Tippu-Tippu, a name given to him from the sound 
of his guns, when he first fought the natives ; Mkangwa 
Nzala, " afraid of hunger," in reference to an old saying 
of his that he does not mind a road where there is plenty 
of fighting, for there there is food, but a road without 
fighting means hunger ; and lastly, Mtipoora, " foot- 
steps" or "foot-marks." When natives come to a village 
which he has attacked, they look at the foot-marks, and 
say, " Tippu-Tib has been here, it is a bad place, we 
will leave it ! " This latter name, Mtipoora, is the one 
by which he is generally spoken of all over the country. 
The people of Manyema are cannibals, and the natives 
between this and Nyangwe are a dangerous lot, and 
possess many guns. They have lately looted two canoes 
of ivory, taking twenty tusks at a time, and in one 
village they received sixty guns in exchange for ivory. 
There is not much regular slave-dealing in this country ; 
the Arab practice is to capture the native women, 
keeping them until they are ransomed with ivory. The 
real slaves of the country are the Manyema and Wacusu, 
the natives, or Washenzies as they are called, being con- 
sidered too much disfigured by tattooing, slit ears and 



DIARY. 



243 



1888. 
April 2. 



lips, &c., to possess much value. The Manyema and 
Wacusu are bought and sold as slaves for household p., t,., 
work, agricultural purposes, and lor lighting men 




April ^rd. — I tried to get a sketch of some of the 
natives in the market, but they would not hear of it, all 
declaring they would die if I were to draw them. Fowls, 
fish, plantains, manioc, palm-nuts, ground-nuts, and 
Indian corn appeared to be the principal articles for 
sale. The chief sent me a breakfast of curried fish and 
cofi'ee, and, before I started, two fat Muscovy ducks, and 
asked me to wait until the arrival of a goat ordered by 
him for me, but I represented to him that I was very 
anxious to advance, and could not delay. He was so 
kind and civil, without asking for a singk thing 
in return, that he quite won my heart. He tried to 
discover, through Assad Farran, what I stood in need 
of, and what I should like to have. I gave him my 
large pocket-knife, which has been my companion for 
years, and is the only one I had, for I had nothing else 
of my own, and I did not care about giving Expedition 
cloth when I could avoid doing so. He was greatly 
pleased. We passed a number of canoes bound for 
Kibonge, and with them were two belonging to Tippu- 

r2 



244 STOBT OP THE REAR COLUMN, 

Aprn 3 '^^^' ^^ their way to Singatini, to one of which I entrusted 
Congo ^y letter to the Major. The head man informed me 
River, that ten men had already run away, the usual occurrence 
on these occasions. "We camped at sunset, when I 
roasted one of the ducks with some onions, and feasted 
like a king. Scarcely got a wink of sleep ; the rats were 
in swarms, and ran all over one — every species of 
vermin was largely represented. The house was far 
filthier than any Irish mud-cabin that I have ever seen. 

April 4:th. — Started at daybreak, and camped at sun- 
set. Did not sleep any better again last night, owing 
to the mosquitoes. The natives we passed seem a 
wild set ; nearly all speak Swahili, and some wear white 
cloth garments, like the Tamba-Tambas. Their hair is 
dressed in a knot at the top of the head, firom which 
a long fringe hangs down behind. The Arabs appear 
to be very much afraid of them, which seems a curious 
reversion of their relations, compared with the state of 
affairs on the Aruwimi, where the natives only ask to 
be let alone. One would certainly have thought that 
men like Tippu-Tib and Said bin Abede would have 
given them such a lesson that they would not so soon 
have recovered it. 

April bth. — I said last night that it was a curious 
thing to meet dangerous natives so near Nyangwe and 
Kassongo, but they are having their lesson now. At 
2 o'clock we passed one of the largest and worst of 
all the villages, called Numbi, situated on an island, 
close to the eastern bank. When we came within sight 
of it, we noticed smoke rising in every direction, and 
over forty Arab canoes lining the bank, the owners of 
which were camped in the lowest village. It appears 
that until a short time ago all the villages near here 
were peaceful ; but they lately took to looting canoes, 
killing and eating the Arabs in charge of them, and 
taking the ivory. These villages are in Said bin Abede's 
district, and most of the canoes looted were not his, so 
complaints were carried to him, and he was told that if 
he did not punish the natives other men would, and so 



DIARY 245 

Kibonge, his head chief, undertook to do so. It appears l^^l'^ 
that the rebel villages, the natives of which the Arabs have Nmi^bi. 
never been able to tame, commence about a day above 
this, and he came down from Nyangwe, destroying them 
all as far as Numbi, which he attacked this morning. 
He is going to wait here for two weeks, then go up to 
Kibonge for more men, and return to settle them once 
for all. He warned us that we should find the natives 
in a very dangerous mood, as by this time they will 
have returned to their villages, and be ready to take 
any opportunity of revenge. We found his men 
stationed at different points for some distance up the 
river, and we camped just before sunset opposite a deep 
bend in the river, surrounded by native villages. The 
drums began to sound in every direction, and their 
canoes came up very close, evidently not a bit afraid. 
The men could not go to attack them, as they are not 
allowed to leave the ivory in the canoes. The head 
men told me that they very much feared a night attack, 
and that Ave must keep on the alert all night. I then 
asked a head Arab from Kibonge, and Nzige's head 
men, if I should fire a shot at them with my Kemington, 
to show them that they were not safe, although out of 
reach of the Arab guns. They at once asked me to do 
so, as it would frighten them off, and very likely prevent 
them from coming at night. I got the rifle and sat 
down. I fired several shots at the most conspicuous 
canoe, some three or four hundred yards away, and so 
far as I could see hit two or three of the men in it. 
There was a tremendous getting away in every direction, 
and after putting some bullets right beside two or three 
more, there was not a man to be seen. I think it gave 
them a lesson, which will be useful to us to-morrow, for 
we have to go up the rapids right through the middle 
of them. After my shots a number of Kibonge's men 
came up with their guns and flags ready for a fight, and 
they were quite disappointed. Below us, on the oppo- 
site bank, are two high wooded hills, the sight of which 
did one's eyes good, for I have seen none since leaving 
the Lower Congo. The only sleep I get now is in the 



246 STORY OF THE BEAB COLUMN. 

1888. early morning in the canoe, as it is impossible to sleep 
^2^ ' at night on account of the mosquitoes. We passed 
River, some verj beautiful high cliifs to-day, of a sort of lime- 
stone shale, thickly wooded on their summits. 

April 6th. — ^Passed up the rapids and through the 
enemy without any mishap. All we saw of them was an 
occasional canoe scurrying across the river in the dis- 
tance. There was no venturing near us to-day, nor 
beating of drums in canoes going up and down before 
us, like yesterday. The whole character of the river 
has changed ; it is now studded with long low islands, 

j destitute of any trees, save an occasional palm, and the 
banks are covered, in some places for a long way inland, 

\ with high grass. 

Ajpril 1th. — After a heavy day's work reached Quanga, 
a large native village under Said bin Abede. The chief 
made a capital subject for a sketch, and although the 
old gentleman was very drunk with palm-wine, and 
would not sit still, I got a fairly good likeness. He 
had the usual band of drums with him, and every now 
and then would get up and dance, going through the 
most extraordinary contortions with his body. These 
natives are the Wagania, and inhabit the banks between 
this and Kassongo ; they are not such a savage-looking 
lot of men as those lower down the river, and trade only 
for white cloth and blue beads, declining matakas. 

April Sth, Sunday/. — Left at 8 o'clock, reaching the 
Gulungumweze rapids at 11 o'clock, at the foot of which 
we left the canoes and walked overland to the top, the 
loads going in the canoes. It took us about an hour and 
a half to reach the head of the rapids. Here we stopped 
for two or three hours, whilst all hands cooked food, as 
we are going on all night, in order to reach Nyangwe 
early to-morrow. 

It is a very remarkable thing, the sudden change 
above the rapids, in the whole appearance of both the 
country and the river. The banks are high and finely 
timbered, but beyond them the country opens out into 



DIARY. 



247 




a great rolling grass-covered prairie, with little patches 
of bush here and there, and a few palm-trees, while 
there is scarcely an island to be seen. When I went 
to sleep we were still steadily paddling ahead. I noticed 
no remarkable change, during our walk, in either the 
birds or butterflies, from those of the Aruwimi River. 



1888. 
i April 8. 

Grulun- 
gumweze 
Eapids. 



April dth. — The men had a short rest of two hours 
in the night. After sunrise we passed the mouth of 
the Lefubu River, flowing in from the West ; reached 
Nyangwe between 9 and 10 o'clock, and I was taken 
to the house of a chief, Muni Mahara by name, with 
whom Tippu-Tib always stays. He is the representative 



248 



STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 



m 
















\ 


>. 




1 
1 


\ 






1 


; 


\4ifc fiiMWiii 1 itli^tliiliTTmMwiiiifili^^ 


^Ak.^^ 


i«*«, , ~ . . .J 



Wagania Village, neak Kassongo. 



1888. 
April 9. 

Nyangwe. 



of Mahara, a big chief in Bagamoya. Nyangwe is com- 
posed of three villages, the one on the north being 
subject to Muni Mahara, and peopled chiefly by settlers 
from Bagamoya ; the central village is owned by Said bin 
Abede, and principally inhabited by Arabs of Zanzibar, 
as is also the one on the south, belonging to Said bin 
Habib. Muni Mahara's house forms one side of the 
large square in which the market is held. On my 
arrival the natives picked up all the articles they had 
for sale, and fled in the wildest disorder, shouting and 
yelling at the pitch of their voices. I was shown into 
the large reception-room, where a great number of Arabs 
soon arrived, amongst them an old silvery-haired Arab, 
almost blind. The chief asked me if I would stay until 
the following day. I sent for Nzige's head man, w^ho 
promised to try and get the natives to push on about 
sunset. I was then conducted to a house, and a man 
soon arrived with a large pot full of fresh milk, ripe 
pineapples and bananas, a goat, a large basket of rice, 
about fifty fresh limes, and some fire-wood — all presents 
from Muni Mahara. While I was waiting for my food, 
I was inspected by all the inhabitants of the town. 
After dinner, the canoes being ready, I went and said 
good-bye to the chief, and thanked him for his kindness. 



DIARY. 249 

At the landing-place I met the brother of the chief }^^h 
of Riba-Riba, who was greatly astonished at my speedy j^ ^ngwi 
departure, and who told me he had sent a man 
a whole day's journey to a village to bring me a pig. 
He is the very image of his brother, and seems just as 
nice. We went on until 11 p.m., when we lost our 
way, and finally camped in the middle of an immense 
swamp. The smell of the water and mud was awful, 
and the mosquitoes were in thousands ; but we killed the 
goat, and I gave all the men ~a big feed, dining myself 
off fried liver and kidneys, followed by thick milk and 
rice, then a pipe — and I slept like a top ! 

April 10 th. — Started before daylight, and reached the 
point of debarkation for Kassongo long after dark. The 
river is very picturesque during the last four hours, the 
banks being hilly and wooded, resembling many parts 
of England. I heard on arrival that Tippu-Tib had 
been ill, but was all right again. It would be fatal to 
our hopes were he to become seriously ill now. 
Curiously enough, with one or two exceptions, we 
have escaped all storms during our twenty-four days' 
journey in the canoe; and though they have passed 
on every side of us, we have had but little rain. 
The Arabs on the road have made me presents of five 
sacks of rice, one sheep, one goat, four fowls, two ducks 
and thirteen eggs, besides a quantity of limes, guavas, 
bananas, papaw, and pineapples. We passed Kabanga, 
a large native village, between 9 and 10 a.m. This 
village marks the boundary of Tippu-Tib's territory on 
the river, all above it being his. 

April Wth. — After a good sharp walk of two hours 
we arrived at Kassongo. I went straight to Tippu-Tib's 
house, followed by an immense crowd, and after a little 
while he came in and greeted me. I had no one to 
interpret, as Assad Farran did not arrive for over two 
hours. However, Salem Masudi soon came in, and I 
told Tippu-Tib I was sorry to hear he had been ill, but 
glad to see him all right again, and that I had been 
sent here by Major Barttelot to speak with him about 



250 



STORY OF TEE BEAR COLUMN, 




1888. 
April 11. 

Kassongo. 



Landing-place, Kassongo. 

certain matters, and that as soon as Assad Farran ar- 
rived, and I had changed my wet clothes, I should like 
to see him about them. He said that a house was 
being prepared for me, and that he would come there 
to talk with me. He had not then read his letters from 
Nzige. I told him of the kind treatment I had received 
from every one on the road, and, after partaking of coffee 
and pineapple, I was conducted to my house. Salem 
Masudi came up to see me after Assad Farran had 
arrived, and I told him, in Assad's presence, that I was 
quite ready to see Tippu-Tib at any time, that I should 
use Assad as interpreter, according to my definite orders, 
and asked him to tell Tippu-Tib, so that he might bring 
with him a man who spoke Arabic. I waited in all the 
afternoon, but he did not come ; he is going to see me 
to-morrow. 

There is no European news, except that there is no 
great war. At Nyassa the English and the Arabs have 
had a fight, in which the Arabs have been driven out. 
They have come to Tippu-Tib to ask for men and 
powder, which he refused them, telling them that he 



DIARY. 251 

wanted all his powder and men in case of having to ^^^^n 
fight Said bin Abede, whose father had some dispute K^s^ongo. 
with Tippu-Tib about some villages which they both 
claimed. The matter was settled by the Sultan in 
Zanzibar, but on Tippu-Tib's arrival here Said bin 
Abede came and stayed for two or three days, and 
at once reopened the quarrel (his father had died on 
his way to Muscat) ; but Tippu-Tib told him that it 
had all been settled in Zanzibar, and that he would 
not talk to him on the subject, as he was only a boy, 
but that his son Sefo, who was young, might do so. 
Said bin Abede then said " he had strength enough now 
to settle the matter." Tippu-Tib told him to use it, but 
warned him that if there was a row he would not leave 
him a station, and would drive him clean out of the 
country. Tippu-Tib then went and burned the three 
villages in dispute, and took firom them a number of 
men, one hundred of whom he sent to us, and these 
were the canoes full of men I met near Riba-Riba. 
He has sent away 700 men in all ; a number of them 
ran away on the road, but a great many have been 
recaptured, and fifty of them are here now in chains ; 
Assad Farran saw them as he came in. Tippu-Tib, it 
appears, has collected men by going round personally, 
and asking the different native chiefs for them. On 
his return from this trip, he got a very bad attack of 
fever, and for two days was not expected to live. 

Salem Masudi let out one thing which rather corro- 
borated the fact of Tippu-Tib's having started in June 
for our camp. I asked him if Sefo was married ; he 
replied, " Yes, to Rachid's sister." I mentioned that I 
had never seen Rachid. Salem said, "Well, he w^as 
coming to Yambuya when we went up the Aruwimi, 
but Tippu-Tib told him to wait until his return." 

Tippu-Tib, I believe, is ready to start for Singatini on 
the 10th day of next moon, which will be April 24th. 
Sefo, his son, is here. The only other news is that the 
Germans have hired two ports from the Sultan of Zan- 
zibar for the export of gum-copal, and are not likely to 
give them up again. In the evening I received visits 



252 



STOUT OF THE BEAE COLUMN. 



1888. 
April 11. 

Kassongo. 



from Sefo, Ali bin Mahommed, and other Arabs. They 
are evidently very much puzzled at the non-arrival of 
any steamer at Stanley Falls up to the time I left, and 
I do not wonder at it. 

The country between the landing-place and this is 
fine, open, and hilly, covered with very long grass. 
Quantities of metammeh, Indian corn, manioc, ground- 
nuts, and sweet potatoes are grown. The gardens of 
the town extend for a great distance all round it. The 
town is built on both sides of the valley, and is very 
large. My house is nice and clean, the best Arab 





Double Dkum, k^D Steiker. 



Copper Monet. 



house I have yet been in. The money chiefly used 
here is ribas, small pieces of native grass-cloth. Fifty 
of these native cloths can be bought for six handker- 
chiefs ; for one cloth you may buy twenty-five pieces of 
dried manioc, or fourteen plantains ; for twelve pieces, 
one fowl ; for one hundred, a goat. A man can live 
here for two days on one " cloth," or less than half a 
mataka. With one cloth he buys twenty-five pieces of 
manioc ; with two of these he purchases the green 
leaves ; with three, salt ; with one, oil ; and with another 
fire-wood, so that he still has eighteen pieces left for 
other food. An eshoka, or trade iron axe, can be bought 



DIAUY. 253 

for five cloths, or less than two matakas. One cloth a^^?,^;, 
will procure a measure of rice just under 2 lbs. 

April 12th. — Tippu was busy writing letters when I 
w^ent down to him this morning, but he gave me a guide 
to show me the town. It is really a very large place ;, 
we walked for about an hour and a half through acres \ 
of rice, Indian corn, metammeh, &c., and did not go ' 
round a quarter of it. Judging from the crops, the soil 
must be splendid. Heturned for breakfast, after which 
Salem Masudi came in, and gave me the details of the 
Nyassa row, in which he declares the Arabs were en- 
tirely to blame, so much so that Tippu-Tib thought of 
sending men to take them as prisoners to Zanzibar. 
It apppears that the Arabs borrowed some money from 
a merchant there, and promised to pay it back in six 
months, in ivory. They never paid it, and he sent a 
clerk to them, whom they insulted and abused. This 
happened several times, and at last the merchant went 
to the British Consul, Mr. Goodrich C?), who sent for 
the Arabs to come in, but they refused to do so. He 
sent three times altogether, and the last messenger they 
killed, so he went out with his men, and there was a 
fight, in which the Arabs were driven out. 

I asked Salem if he had any idea of how many people 
there are here ; he told me no one had. He said it was 
impossible to know, for they had no system like ours, 
which I explained to him. Supposing one man, he 
said, bought twenty slaves of the first class, these in a 
short time would each have slaves of their own, and 
those others — ad infinitum. No one took any note of 
the death of a slave ; when one died they generally 
waited till nightfall, and then dragged him along the 
ground and threw him into the river, or left him oppo- 
site some one else's house. For one load of cloth you 
could buy at least twenty slaves. He presently said, 
" Th^e is no one here now — it will be a good time for 
Tippu-Tib to come," and went out, but soon returned, 
saying th it Tippu-Tib had sent him to tell me that, from 
Nzige's letters from Stanley Falls, he knew all that I 



254 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

A Hfi*2 ^^^ come for, and he would give us all the men we 
Kassoneo wanted, and be ready to start on the 10th of next moon, 
by which date his brother will have arrived from Ujiji. 
I told Salem that Nzige did not know all I had to say 
to Tippu-Tib, and that I must see him, so I went straight 
to him, taking Assad Farran, and told him that my 
principal reason for coming was to get him to enter 
into a contract for the supply of men (especially four 
hundred extra fighting men), and to settle about pay- 
ment for them. He told me that he would undoubtedly 
give us the men, if not 400, then 300 ; that as regarded 
the payment of the 600, he would see Mr. Stanley, and 
settle it mth him, and arrange with us for the 400 
extra men, upon our return. I told him that, as the 
men had been so long coming, Mr. Stanley might refuse 
to pay the money, and that a contract with Major Bart- 
telot was really a safeguard for himself, Barttelot and I 
guaranteeing him the money. He then said he would 
settle everything with Stanley, and would evidently 
have nothing to do mth the contract with Major Bart- 
telot. He assured me three or four times that I need 
not be anxious, and promised to leave here on the 10th 
of next moon, if I would wait quietly here and go with 
him. He stated that he had received letters from Zan- 
zibar, where it was reported that Mr. Stanley was dead, 
asking him why there was no news of Mr. Stanley, and 
what he (Tippu-Tib) was doing, to which he had re- 
plied that Mr. Stanley was not dead, and that, Inshallah, 
he would get news of him. I strove to impress on him 
the necessity of speed and the value of a contract to 
himself, when he reiterated what he had said, and 
seemed annoyed at my pressing the point. Two or 
three times he tried to speak to me through Farani and 
Aramense, but I told him that they did not understand 
me, nor I them, so he had to use Assad Farran as in- 
terpreter ; he understood nearly every word that Assad 
said, without the help of the third man, although he 
used him in answering, as he evidently understands 
more than he speaks of Arabic. I decided to accept 
his promise and leave him alone for the day, deferring 






I — I 




DIAliY, 257 

my other questions till to-morrow, as he was evidently ^^^^v, 
not in good humour, and I can see that he is now as x^slon^o 
anxious to see us start as we are to go ; I think he has 
been hurried up from Zanzibar, tie says he has re- 
ceived news, although he cannot vouch for its truth, 
that the king of Unyoro had been collecting men to 
carry out Emin Pasha's ivory, and escort him to the 
coast. He thinks, if this news is true, that Mr. Stanley 
has gone down the other road by Unyoro and Uganda, 
either with Emin Pasha or behind him. I told him 
that had Mr. Stanley done so he would undoubtedly 
have sent messengers back to us ; it was the want of 
news that made us so anxious. 

Several of the Arabs called upon me in the afternoon. 
Tippu-Tib supplies me with the best of food, and is 
going to send me a bowl of milk every morning. 

April 13^A. — Again interviewed Tippu-Tib. I took 
down my sketch-book with me, and I am glad I did so, 
for I got him into a splendid humour. The sketch of 
Yahid made him roar with laughter, but when he came 
to that of the chief of Riba-Riba he snatched it up, 
and went off with it to Sefo, Ali Mahommed, and some 
other Arabs, when I heard them all laughing. He 
came back presently in an excellent humour, and gave 
me a good deal of news. He told me that all the Indian 
merchants in Zanzibar, and all English subjects, had 
celebrated the Queen's Jubilee for three days, scattering 
presents broadcast to everyone. The Germans have 
got Dar el Salem, and several other ports. Tippu-Tib 
says there are a great many discontented people in 
Zanzibar, who are only waiting for an opportunity to 
ask Germany to annex it, and pension the Sultan, and he 
asked me what England would do. I told him that if 
they took it against the Sultan's wish he could appeal 
to the Powers of Europe ; that they would call a congress 
and settle the matter ; and I added that I thought two 
strong voices against its being taken by Germany would 
be those of England and France. It would be a death- 
blow to Tippu-Tib's aspirations were Germany to take 



Kassongo. 



258 STORY OF THE UEAK COLUMN. 

^^~ ^ Zanzibar, and I find his aspirations are enormous, far 
R-^ILr^il greater than most people think. An Arab arrived here 
to-day from Zanzibar, and I hear that, upon his return 
from Stanley Falls, Tippu-Tib is going to give him 
1,000 men, with guns ; his destination is a gold country 
south of Lake Banguela, as far as I can make out. 
Tippu-Tib constantly questions me very closely about 
all the parts of Africa where gold is found. I warned 
him that if he crossed the Zambesi he would have to 
fight either the Matabele or Khama, either of whom 
would be far too strong for any thousand men of his. 
I told him that north of the Zambesi I thought the 
Barutzi were the strongest. He evidently means to 
have the whole country up to Lake Albert Nyanza, and 
God knows how much of the Congo. His son Sefo is 
not going to be chief, and the great fighting man I 
thought he was, for he is going to Mecca, which pro- 
hibits him ever afterwards from doing anything but 
praying. (I have since heard that he has given up this 
idea.) He has two other sons, however, and Eachid, 
Nzige's son, will, I believe, be a very great man. 

I asked Tippu-Tib who would command the men he 
sent with us, and he told me he was going to ask Selim 
Mahommed. I told him he was the very man Major 
Barttelot wanted ; that of course, as he would command, 
and give all orders with regard to marching and fighting, 
it would be a splendid thing to have a man whom we 
all knew and liked. He said that if Selim would not 
go, he would give us the very best man he could. I 
next asked him for a definite date, at which all the men 
would be delivered, and we could leave Yambuya Camp. 
He said he thought the 1st of June would be the very 
latest, and he certainly thought it would be before then, 
for he would only wait one day at Singatini, and come 
on straight to the camp himself. He is evidently now 
in a desperate hurry to get us ofi". There are two 
causes for this, — 1st, he has been hurried up from Zan- 
zibar ; 2ndly, he has other big games on hand, which he 
cannot attend to until we go. I can see perfectly that 
he leaves very little for others to do. J asked him when 



DIARY. 259 

I could send a letter to Mai or Barttelot, and he said .^^^?\o 

. *^ T T . /> T . April 13. 

there were men just starting, and that it i wrote it K^ssonga 
quickly it could go to-day. So I went straight home, 
wrote my letter and sent it off; then went out and 
made a sketch of the town from the eastern side of the 
valley. 

I heard an example to-day of how Tippu-Tib gives 
slaves to poor Arabs. When he left his place to collect 
men for us, two Arabs went with him to Nyangwe, and 
in each village they stopped at Tippu-Tib called out a 
lot of the people, women and children, and asked 
the Arabs to take their pick. When they reached 
Nyangwe, one man had fifteen slaves, the other over 
twenty. 

A£jril lifh. — There are three classes of people in 
this country — Arab gentlemen, slaves, and natives or 
Washenzies. An Arab gentleman in this land may 
have been of a very inferior class in his own. One of 
these gentlemen, — a great swell with lots of ivory and 
slaves, — on his road to Zanzibar, came here with us 
from Kibonge, and told Assad Farran that he had left 
Teheran when a child, and had been a servant to some 
Europeans in Muscat, from which place he had come 
to Zanzibar, and is now quite a great man in his way. 

April 15fA, Sunday/. — Spent the whole forenoon in 
writing to Mr. Mackinnon ; Tippu-Tib will send my 
letters by special messengers to-morroAv morning. Before 
dinner I went for a walk round the town, and the more 
I see of it the more I perceive what a quantity of wealth 
there is in the soil. After dinner I walked up over 
the hills to the south, and got a beautiful vieAv across 
the valley to the hills on the road to Ujiji (eastward). 
I met two natives of Unyanembi, wild-looking 
devils, with great feather hats, and bells on their legs, 
under the knee. They promised to come and be 
sketched to-morrow. The great success of the day, 
however, is a promise from Tippu-Tib to let me make a 
sketch of him. How I wish I could do him justice ! 

s2 



260 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

1888. LETTER TO MRS. JAMESON. 

April 15. , ^ 

_ Kassongo, 

^^^^^"S^- April 15th, 1888. 

From the departure of Mr. Stanley in June, until 
the arrival of the S.S. Stanley in August, we had 
heard nothing whatever of the promised men from 
Tippu-Tib, without whom we coald make no move 
after Stanley. On his departure in June, he had told us 
that, should we not be able to come after him, he would 
be back at the camp in November; but November, 
December, January, and February came, and still no 
news from Mr. Stanley, and no men from Tippu-Tib. 
.... I left Stanley Falls on March 18th, and reached 
Kassongo on April 11th, having been twenty-four days 
in the canoe. It generally takes thirty days, but twice 
we pushed on all night as well as day. What a weary 
journey that was, sitting all day in the canoe, doubled 
up like a trussed fowl, and at night often sleeping there 
too, devoured by mosquitoes, or, if on land, lying in 
the middle of a swamp, and how terribly hot it was ! 
I had little or no medicine with me, and scarcely any 
clothes, as when I left Yambuya I had not the remotest 
idea that I should have to go upon this journey. How- 
ever, the Arabs were very kind to me all along the 
river, and made me presents of all sorts of food, so that 
I arrived here quite fit, in spite of having been very 
seedy for the first week, from a bad touch of fever at 
the Falls. Tippu-Tib has given me his word that he 
will give us all the men we want ; he will leave this on 
the 24th inst. for Stanley Falls, and has asked me to 
go with him. He will make no agreement about the 
money or anything except with Mr. Stanley, but that 
does not matter to us provided he gives us all the men 
we want. Tippu told me that he had received letters 
from Zanzibar, where it was reported that Stanley was 
dead, asking him why there was no news of him, and 
what he, Tippu-Tib, was doing. He had replied that 
Stanley was not dead, and that he would get news of 

him I was up nearly all last night writing to 

Mr. Mackinnon. ... 



April 16. 
Kassoiiga 



LETTER. 261 

April l^th. — Night again, and time to write to you. ,^}^f^■{^ 
You have no idea what a lot of sketching I have done. 
My diary at Yambuya Camp is very nearly one page of 
writing and then one of drawing all through. I used 
at first to copy figures, and faces drawn by Ward, but 
when I left for Stanley Falls this last time I took to 
drawing human figures, with and without clothes, my- 
self. 1 am awfully anxious to make a sketch of Tippu- 
Tib, but my heart fails me every time I think of it, for 
he is a difiicult subject, and I am anything else you may 
like to call me but a portrait painter. I sent home a 
lot of drawing-paper which I could not carry, and now 

I would willingly give a guinea a sheet for it 

The Major and I have been thrown more together than 
any of the others, having been left alone at the camp 
for a long time, and we have kept up the same sort of 
intimacy ever since the others arrived. He is a real 
honest gentleman, and I cannot say more. We both 
come to one another for advice at any moment, and he 
has been placed in a hard and difficult position with 
Mr. Stanley, who, no matter what you do, is sure to say 
it is wrong. We shall both be blamed, I know, for the 
long delay in Yambuya Camp, but God knows we have 
done everything in our power to prevent it. Out of the 
whole force in our camp, we could only muster eighty 
sound men, and of what use would it be to go after 
Mr. Stanley with this force, when he, with 400 men, 
sixty of whom (besides officers) were armed with Win- 
chester rifies, a Maxim gun, and all the rest armed 
with Eemingtons, has evidently met with opposition 
which prevents him from either returning to us, or from 
sending us any message ? Twice Barttelot and I have 
been going to start with the few men we could scrape 
together, and go after him, but wiser counsels have pre- 
vailed, and we at last decided not to go until we had a 
force sufficient to be of real aid to him. I cannot be- 
lieve that Mr. Stanley would have gone out by any 
other route, either with or without Emin Pasha, and 
not have ensured a message getting back to us. If he 
has done such a thing, he will be wasting a large sum 



262 &TOBY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

k^^\c ^^ money, and risking the lives of all the men, for no 
KaL^n o earthly purpose. . . . And now my little palm-oil lamp 

is almost at its flicker, so I must bid you good-night. 

How I wish that I could kiss little Gladys, and the 

small baby that I have never seen ! I pray for you all 

so earnestly every night. 

A;prU 11 til, — Some canoes returned to-day from Stanley 
Falls, but there is no news of Mr. Stanley. It is 
horrible to sit still here, and know that he may want 
help, and be unable to stir hand or foot to help him. 
We are entirely in the hands of Tippu-Tib, and dare not 
have a row with him. Since I came here I have twice 
succeeded in getting him into anything but a nice 
temper, and he showed it, but I smoothed him down 
again. He is now just as anxious as we are to get 
us started, the letters from Zanzibar having evidently 
hurried him up tremendously, and should we have a 
row with him now, he would send up his men after 
Stanley, and leave us in Yambuya Camp. He treats 
me in the most princely manner. He sent for my boy 
Farani this evening, and told him to tell me I was to 
buy nothing at all, that I was his guest, and that he 
would give me everything I wanted. Farani belongs 
to me now entirely. He originally belonged to Tippu- 
Tib, and when I went to Stanley Falls the first time 
with Ward, he used to bring us our food. He speaks 
a very little English, and I took a great fancy to him. 
When the Major went to the Falls, I sent a message 
to Tippu-Tib, asking him to lend me the boy for the 
trip. He sent him to me, with the reply that he was 
mine, and that I could do what I liked with him. He 
is simply invaluable — cooks, pitches the tent, mends 
my clothes, roasts the coffee, &c., and carries my gun. 
He is a wild sort of savage, but honest and plucky. 
My interpreter, whom I brought with me, Assad Farran 
by name, is a Syrian from Jerusalem, and about as 
good-for-nothing a specimen of a Jerusalemite as I ever 
saw. He has succeeded in making himself properly 



LETTER. 263 

ill here, through over-eating, and taking no exercise. ^ ^^^^^ 
He would come to me at least four times a day, and Xassonga 
say he was going out to " try his chance," which is 
a great expression of his. He would then go to the 
Arabs and eat with them, and return very much swollen 
out, and tell me of all the things he had eaten. It has, 
however, done for him, as I warned him, and to-day he 
has done nothing but lie on his back and groan hor- 
ribly. I had no medicine for him, having scarcely an 
atom for myself, but I procured a large half breakfast- 
cup of native castor-oil from an Arab ; it is fearfully 
strong, and I made him swallow the whole. It has 
done him a world of good, and I tell him he will be a 
new man to-morrow. This is certainly the cheapest 
place I have ever been in. You can buy any quantity 
of slaves here — good ones — for £1 per head. I bought 
over 90 lbs. of rice to-day for less than half-a-crown. A 
tine large goat costs 2s. 6d., and a great big fowl lOd. 
A common man can live here on less than one farthing 
a day. The money used is small pieces of grass-cloth, 
worth less than one half-penny each. A large market 
goes on here for three or four hours every day. When 
the metammeh harvest (a sort of corn) comes on, things 
are cheaper still, so no wonder that a man can keep a 
number of slaves, for these very slaves make the grass- 
cloths which buy their food, and all he has to provide 
is the grass of which they are made, which grows at 
some distance from here. When we are both quite 
" broken," this will be the place to come to, but I 
think that I have seen enough, and more than enough, 
of this country, to last me a lifetime. . . . One day, as 
I passed through a native village from which the people 
had just run away, I picked up a thigh-bone freshly 
cooked and picked. The natives who live inland eat 
any of the natives from the river whom they can catch, 
and vice versa. . . . 

April ISth. — ... I took a long walk this morning 
along the road to Ujiji, which is the road to Zanzibar. 



264 



STOMF OB' THE REAR COLUMN, 




EOAD TO UjIJI. 



April 18. 
Kassougo. 



Before turning back I took a long lingering look in 
that direction, and my thoughts wandered over that 
road homewards. . . . Another Arab came to me to- 
day to have his portrait painted, but I have no paper 

to spare, and prefer to sketch the natives 

The only book I have with me is the ' Light of Asia.' 
I have read it so often 



April 19th. — Tippu-Tib came up to my house after 
breakfast to let me take a sketch of him. About a 
dozen of the head Arabs came Avith him and pressed 
round me, making remarks all the time, which so 
annoyed me that I could not make a really good pic- 
ture; it is like him, everyone says, and he has promised 
to come again for me to alter the face a little. ... 
Curious how one's fate turns upon a hair sometimes ! 

Had I not gone to 's rooms that Sunday morning, 

and read that paper whilst he was dressing, I should 
probably never have been here now, for most likely I 
should not have heard of the Expedition until it was 
just starting. It does seem as if one were guided by 



LETTER. 265 

an unseen hand or power, of which Edwin Arnold ^'^fl\c) 

writes : Kassongo. 

" A power divine which moves to good, 

Only it/S laws endure. . . . 

This is its work upon the things ye see, 
The unseen things are more ; men's hearts and minds, 
The thoughts of peoples, and their ways and wills, 

Those, too, the great law binds. . . ." 

1 shall surely have wrought out my mission in the 
way of travel after this long journey is over. My 
ambition to do something good in this world before 
I died was right, but there were a thousand other 
things which I might have done which would never 
have called me away so far. . . . 

April 20fh. — Tippu-Tib has had some letters from 
Ujiji to-day, but I cannot get any news out of him. 
... I went for a long walk this morning; it is 
delightful to be able to see far over the country again, 
after being shut up in that camp for months. . . . 
Almost all the Arabs' slaves come from this country, 
Manyema, where they are very cheap. (They do not 
take many slaves from the natives of the Aruwimi, 
as they are of little value, being so disfigured by 
tattooing, and having their ears and lips full of slits 
and holes.) My boy Farani has two slaves of his own. 
I saw one offered to him this morning for three pieces 
of cotton cloth, worth 7s. 6d., but he said it was too 
dear. Notwithstanding the slavery, I don't think I 
have ever seen a country where there is so much 
general happiness, and so little misery ; one sees far 
more of the latter at home. There is no starvation 
here, and no one without work. When they do wrong, 
instead of being imprisoned or dismissed, they get a 
good sound beating with a stick, and I am not sure 
that it is not the best plan. The long grass-cloths 
that are worn here are really very beautiful, and I am 
going to try and buy one to-morrow for you. The 
head chief of all the Wagania (the tribe living round 
Kassongo) came to be sketched this morning ; to show 



266 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 

188^- me how much greater a chief he considered me than 
J^^' " ' himself, he picked up dust off the floor as he was 
going away and threw it on to his shoulder. . . . 
Major Barttelot has told me that when we start for 
the Lake I am to go on in front, and give all direc- 
tions about the road, as we shall have to steer by 
compass, having no instruments Avith us. It will be 
much pleasanter work than the slave-driving I had to 
do between Matadi and Stanley Pool. Troup is to 
be left behind at Stanley Falls, in charge of all the 
loads we leave there, as the men are only to carry 
half loads in order to accelerate our movements. . . 
I am nearly in rags now, and am positively ashamed 
to go about amongst these beautifully dressed, clean 
Arabs with my elbows sticking out, and holes in the 
knees of my trousers. But Tippu-Tib says that on 
some of his trips he has had nothing to wear but a 
piece of native grass-cloth ! . . . 

April 21st. — The time has come when I must say 
good-bye. In two days' time I shall be returning to 
that abominable camp . . . but it is pleasant to think 
that the only news you will hear of me after this will 
be of my return journey. ... I cannot possibly think 
why Stanley has never been able to send us any news, 
unless he is in a very bad fi^ indeed. If he is and 
we relieve him, of course it will be something done, 
but what a fiasco after all we were going to do ! 

DIARY {continued). 

April l^th. — I got a splendid sketch of a native 
of Unyanembi, and of Tippu-Tib's tAvo gun-bearers. 
A great raid was made upon my cloth to-day. I 
bought 100 native cloths fi:om an Arab for one piece 
of handkerchiefs, and Tippu-Tib happened to see the 
piece, which had a good deal of white about it. He 
sent to ask me if I had any more of the same, as he 
would like to have some. I had none exactly the same, 
but a few double pieces very like it, so I sent them 
down to him. He wanted more, and said he would 
give me other cloth for all of them, but I told him they 




Native of Unyanembi. [Page 266.] 



DIARY. 269 

were a present, and that I was glad to find I had some- 1^88. 
thing to give him that he wanted. I had also to -^^^^^ ^^ 
give Sefo, his son, a double piece. All the other 
Arabs then begged me to sell cloth to them, but I 
put my foot down, and refused to part vrith another 
handkerchief. They were exactly like vultures round 
a dead body. Fifty more men, for us, came in to-day. 
Tippu-Tib sent me up some coffee-beans and sugar. 

April 17fh.—l bought three sacks full of rice, in 
all I should think over 90 lbs., for 42 native cloths, 
or ribas, or about ten matakas, or 2s. Id. An Arab 
sent up two large baskets of rice, for which he 
wanted cloth in exchange, and I was just asking 
how much they wanted for it, when Tippu-Tib sent 
up one of my boys to tell me not to buy it, or any 
more rice at all, as he would give me all I required. 
The Arab was annoyed, to say the very least of it. 
Tippu-Tib then sent Salem Masudi up with the same 
message and another lot of coffee-beans. 

April ISth. — This morning I took a long walk 
along the road to Ujiji ; I passed through nothing 
but gardens for about an hour and a half, and 
they extend on all sides of the tovm. After 
breakfast Farani brought me a splendid specimen of 
a savage to sketch. He belongs to some tribe far 
away to the south, and has come, I believe, from 
Quemba; he is a drummer and dancer. After I had 
sketched him he treated me to a dance, which is 
exactly like the Highland fling. It is a curious thing 
that some of the steps were the very same. This 
sketch is the best I have attempted, both as a like- 
ness and a dramng. It has just struck me as pos- 
sible that Mr. Stanley may be in Uganda, and have 
told the king that we are coming on with plenty of 
stuff to pay him with, and he may be kept there 
waiting for us. Last night I was awakened by the 
most dreadful noise, all the people in the town 
seemed to be yelling ; this morning it was still going 
on, and I found out that an Arab woman had died^ 
and nearly everyone in the town was at the house 



270 



STORY OF TEE REAM QOLVMN. 




Deummer and Dancer oe Quemba. 

1888. Tippu-Tib amongst the rest. When, as in this case, 
April 18. \^ ig a woman who is dead, the men all sit inside 
Kassongo. ^^ house and in the road, while the women assemble 
in the small enclosure at the back of the house where 
they bury the body. The moment she is buried, the 
men go home, and the women go and wash them- 
selves in the river. In the case of a man's death, 
the men all stay in the house for three days, at the 
end of which time there is an enormous quantity of 
rice cooked, and all comers have a great feed. 

April l^th. — In the afternoon I got a good sketch 
of Lamba Lamba, one of the native chiefs of this place. 
Salem Masudi let out to-day that Tippu-Tib had received 
the news about the king of Unyoro collecting men for 
Emin Pasha, in a letter. I asked Tippu-Tib if I 
could send a letter to Major Barttelot, but he told me 
that no one would go to Stanley Falls before we did. 




Lamba-Lamba, a Wagauia Chief. [Pag-e 270.1 



DIAMY. 273 

April 20th. — Sketched Mwana Halumba, the head ^^J^Iq 
native chief of Kassongo, then took a portrait of an Kassonga 
Arab gentleman of this place at his request, and pre- 
sented him with it. Tippu received letters from Ujiji. 

April 21st. — I believe Tippu-Tib will really start 
on the 24th, as all his things go down to the canoes 
to-morrow. I made a drawing of a curious native stool 
from Walua, shaped like an idol. Another Arab 
bothered me to take his portrait. Tippu-Tib gave me 
six sacks of rice. Had a row with Assad about not 
washing himself. He confessed to not having washed 
since we have been here. 

April 22nd, Sunday. — Tippu-Tib informed me this 
morning that the canoes had not yet returned from 
Kibonge, but were expected here either to-day or to- 
morrow, and that he would start without fail in four days' 
time for the river, sleep there that night, and go on next 
morning. When coming here on the river, I was told that 
he could not start until these canoes returned. Had to 
do another portrait of an Arab, and there are many more 
applicants, but I have shut up shop. Went for a long 
walk in the evening, to get some axes made for the camp. 

April 2drd. — Tippu-Tib is really going ; he is paying 
the paddlers. Finished letters home. 

April 24:th. — Had a long talk to-day with Tippu-Tib, 
whom I found in a particularly good humour. I took 
down my letters, and asked him to send them for me. 
He said they would not take long on the road ; he is 
sending some himself, and they go with the regular 
monthly Mission post. He told me that he could give us 
any number of canoes, carriers, &c., in the event of our 
return by this route. I asked him, in case of our return 
by Uganda, what we should do with his men, and he 
told me that he would give all necessary orders to Selim 
Mahommed, or whoever went in command of them. I 
then asked him what were the best trading things to take. 
He said that beads, cowTies, and brass ^vire would do as 
far as Uganda and Unyoro, and that the particular kind 
of beads did not signify, as no one had been up the road 

T 



274 



STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 




1888. 
April 24. 



Tippu-TiB. 

before to spoil the market. He then brought me some 
cloth which is good in Uganda and IJnyoro, much smaller 
and thinner than ours, and said, " Where this is good, 
how much more valuable must yours be." I had a 
long talk with him on various subjects, Germany and 
France, Germany and Zanzibar, gold, silver, and 
diamond countries, &c. He showed me some copper 
money, and said that, when he first came to this country, 
for one or two pieces of copper money, worth about 
Is. ?>d. each, you could buy five 60- or 70-lb. tusks of 
ivory, but that day is all over. There are two places 
from which the copper comes ; one south, the other 
north of Kassongo. He seemed anxious that France 



Xassongo 



DIABY. 275 

should go to war with Germany, evidently thinking that A^^?f24 
it would check the progress of the Germans in this ^^^g^„^^' 
country for a little. He also asked me a great deal 
about the Congo Free State. He sent me up word later 
in the day that he would start in three days. Tippu does 
not allow the natives here to be ill-treated by his own 
men. An Arab was flogged by his command to-day for 
having unjustly struck a native. There was a regular 
sale of slaves to-day, about fifteen being sold by auction, 
of whom Tippu bought eight. 

April 2bth. — I generally take a walk every evening 
up the hill, at the top of which lives a rich Arab, called 
Muni Katomba, from Bagamoya. Two evenings ago, 
on my way home, he came out and said to me, " You 
pass my house every day ; why do you not come in and 
see me ] " I promised to do so the next time I passed, 
and called on him this evening. He was delighted to 
see me, and we had a long talk. These Arabs cannot 
believe that there are many jpoor white men (I opened 
his eyes on that subject), nor can they understand that 
there are people in England richer than the Queen and 
the Prince of Wales. He asked me why I had bought 
the native axes, and when I told him, he brought me 
out four large native knives, and asked me if they 
would be of any use, and I gladly accepted them. He 
took me into his house, and into the large courtyard at 
the back, in Avhich he showed me all his women slaves, 
of whom there must have been two hundred of all 
manner of tribes. The women brought me a mat to sit 
on, and they crowded round to see me, most of them 
never having seen a white man before. On my de- 
parture he presented me with a goat, a quantity of 
fruit, and a beautiful Zanzibar mat, and then walked 
half-way down the hill to bid me good-bye. How 
diflerent his treatment of me from that of the Arabs who 
live near Tippu-Tib's house, whose only object is to try 
and get everything they can out of one ! He is a perfect 
gentleman in manner, and he is the only Arab who has 
taken me inside his house and shown me his women. 
The scene inside the courtyard would have made a 

T 2 



276 



STOBY OF THE HEAR COLUMN. 



1888. 
April 25. 



splendid picture. Women of all tribes, in every sort of 
dress (and many with scarcely any), stood in groups all 
round the enclosure, engaged in different kinds of work. 
My interview with Muni Katomba certainly did much 
to raise my opinion of the Arabs, not by his presents, 
but by his manner of giving them, and his whole treat- 
ment of me. I believe he is very rich, and owns many 
villages and slaves. He cannot at all understand why 
white men, with plenty of money, should leave their own 
country (and risk their lives) to see others. I bade him 
farewell in true Oriental fashion, placing my hand upon 
my heart, telling him that his kindness to me, a stranger 
and a passer-by, had made a mark upon it, which would 
never be obliterated. 



Ajpril 26th. — Gave a copy of my sketch of the chief 
of Riba-Hiba to him, according to my promise. Tippu- 
Tib really means starting to-morrow. Thank God ! there 
is a chance of our making a start in the right direction at 
last. Tippu-Tib gave me a piece of the copper money. 




Waganta Htjts. 




" Nothing like Independence." 



CHAPTEE VIII. 

Apbil 27th to June 10th. 

Start back for Yambuya. — Delay at starting-point on the river. — Thirty-four 
of Tippu's men run away. — Tippu and Cameron. — Chiefs arrive to bid 
farewell to Tippu-Tib. — Miresa. — Tippu's conversation in Swahili. — 
Two canoes sunk. — A narrow escape. — Assad Farran's uselessness. — 
E-iba-Riba. — Wacusu dance. — Cannibals. — Conversation with Tippu. — 
Muni Somai.— Kibonge. — Chimpanzees. — Tippu's account of a journey 
with Stanley. — Stanley Falls. — Barttelot's interview with Tippu-Tib. — 
Start for Yambuya. — Troup sends in application to be sent home. — 
Hard at work reducing loads. — Caps turn out to be bad. — Letter to 
Mrs. Jameson. 



A][)ril 27th. — Off at last, thank Heaven ! On my way 
down to the river, I stopped to ask my friend Muni 
Katomba for his proper name, as I want to send him 
something from England. I now understand why his 
heart went out to me, for he must be a Scotchman, or 
at least of Scottish descent, his name being Abede bin 
Mackya, or Abede the son of Macky. It is curious 
that he was the only Arab who was generous to me 
besides Tippu-Tib. The walk to the starting-place on 
the river took about two hours' good going. It was a 
lovely day, with a fresh breeze blowing. Strings of 



1888. 
April 27. 

Return 
Journey. 



278 STORY OF TEE BEAR COLTJME, 

1888. slaves, chained together, carried our loads. Most of 
Return* ^^"^ Came froHi Malela and the other side of the 
Journey. Congo, a great many from the head of the Lumami 
River. They, in most cases, carried their spears, bows, 
and arrows, just as they had left their villages. They are 
all for us, 1 believe. About a quarter of a mile before 
reaching the landing-place, I had to wade a river up to my 
waist. I thought it would be all right, knowing that 
my clothes had left hours before I did, but out of all 
the loads they were the only ones that did not arrive. I 
am now sitting, long after dark, cold and nearly naked, 
as there is scarcely any fire-wood here. On passing 
Tippu's house, about half a mile from here (the landing- 
place for Kassongo), I met Said bin Habib, a venerable 
white-bearded old Arab, with whom Tippu-Tib was 
having a conference. He was on his way to Zanzibar ; 
he is very rich, and is one of the Arabs who questioned 
Tippu-Tib's authority as an officer of the Free State, as 
he had no visible signs of authority. Assad Farran did 
not arrive until long after dark, having started at least 
two hours before we did. No signs of clothes to-night. 

April 2%th. — I am afraid there is little chance of our 
getting away from Yambuya by the 24th May, There 
is another delay here which I had not bargained for, 
and a serious one ; there are not nearly sufficient canoes 
to take us all at one time. This morning, when I went 
to see Tippu-Tib, he made me a present of a very 
handsome leopard skin upon which he was seated, and 
I went down with him to the canoes, as he was sending 
away about one hundred of the men to an island opposite 
Nyangwe, where they could not run away. Unless Tippu- 
Tib has more canoes further down river, this delay will 
occur again and again. The place has been really 
lively all day long, men arriving with drums beating 
and flags flying. They are always saying that all the 
canoes on the river belong to Tippu-Tib, but this is 
merely an empty boast. I was told the other day that 
he owned one hundred canoes and meant to buy more, 
but it looks to me as if he only owned about twenty ! 



DIARY. 



279 




m&4 y\ 




Eiver. 



Native Woman in Maeket. 

Passed a sleepless night from the cold and mosquitoes, ^f^^s 
for my clothes never came till this morning. They congo 
were carried by the men of one of Tippu's muniaparas, 
who is himself bringing a lot of men for us, and, I 
believe, is going with us from Yambuya. Thirty-four of 
his men ran away yesterday, hence the delay. Patience 
is a virtue you need to acquire in this country, if you 
have it not. Tippu-Tib gave Assad Farran a small boy 
to-day, belonging to the tribe Banga-Banga. The boy 
can speak no language but his own, and Assad is afraid 



280 STOET OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 

1888. to send him on any errand, lest he should run away. 
^" ■ A dirtier, more helpless and useless specimen than 
Eiver. Assad Farrau I have never met in my life. 

April 29th, Sunday. — ^Was awakened by the drums 
of fresh arrivals. Tippu-Tib personally superintends 
the shipping of all the men, whom he sends off to 
Nyangwe as fast as they arrive, for he is afraid of their 
deserting us here. 

Miresa, the Arab chief of Ujiji and Tanganyika, was 
to arrive at Kassongo to-day, and comes here to-morrow. 
Tippu-Tib told me this morning that the road from 
Kibonge is the one we ought to have gone by, as it 
is a much shorter and better one than Stanley's road. 
He says that most likely there will not be much water 
on our road, as after E-amadan, which is next month, 
there is less rain. He told me how he had met 
Cameron. He was at that time south of the Congo, in 
a large tract of country he had conquered below Malela. 
Tippu did not then know that there were any Arabs at 
Kassongo and Nyangwe, nor did they know he was 
there. At the same time that he was fighting the 
natives to the north of him, the Arabs from Nyangwe 
crossed the Congo and went south, and as the natives 
about there had no guns, the Nyangw6 people were 
astonished to hear shots fired near them, and they found 
Tippu-Tib' s men fighting the natives. Tippu then 
came to Nyangwe, where he found Cameron, who wished 
to go on down the Congo, but the Arabs of Nyangwe 
refused to help him in any way ; so he asked Tippu-Tib 
to take him back to his country south of the Congo, 
but Tippu-Tib told him he wished to go to Kassongo, 
to his brother Nzige. Cameron, however, asked 
him so often that at last he took him back to his 
country, where they met some Portuguese, with whom 
Cameron eventually travelled towards Loanda. Tippu- 
Tib told me that Stanley had tried to strike across 
country to the north of this place, but found the bush 
so thick and the road so bad that he turned back, and 
begged Tippu-Tib to assist him to go down the Congo. 



DIARY. 



281 




One of Tippu-Teb's Gun-bearers. 



Biver. 



They struck the river at the rapids a day below Nyangwe, Aprif la 
and there fought the natives, capturing canoes from congo 
them, in which Mr. Stanley descended the river. 

I was rather amused to-day, when the canoes were 
starting, to see a lot of women crowding into one, 
leaving a number of men on the bank. Tippu-Tib 
handed all the women out, and put the men in, turning 
round to me and saying, " I don't want to see women 
going; I want to see men." The Manyema men will 



282 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

A^^i^on not 2ro without some of their women, and, as far as 1 

April 29. o '5 

Conffo ^^^ ^^^' there are nearly as many women as men. 

River. On the way to the river from Kassongo a man tried to 

run away, but he was caught by Sefo and made to carry 
a load for me. On our arrival here, Farani handed him 
over to Tippu, who put him in chains with a lot of 
others, and sent him off to Nyangwe next morning. To- 
day his owner caught us up here, and asked Farani for 
him, Sefo having told him that the man was with me. 
Farani referred him to Tippu-Tib, to whom he then 
went, and who said to him, " Oh, yes, he was brought 
here, but he must have run away in the night, as I 
have not seen him since." This is the way in which 
one of our men was obtained ! They have only a little 
over three months' rainfall here and the rest of the year 
is dry, so the river gets terribly low. 

April 30^A. — Tippu-Tib told me yesterday that he 
had received a letter from Selim Mahommed, who said 
that the men he had sent across the Aruwimi Eiver to 
the north of our camp had crossed four rivers, and 
reached an open country with high grass, where the 
natives grew metammeh and Indian corn, not manioc. 
Here they had met a number of natives who had run 
away from some big chief to the north, who was fighting, 
and had been beaten by, some white men. Tippu-Tib 
asked me if I knew who the white men could be, but 
I told him I did not know of any one travelling in that 
direction. (Found out afterwards that this was M. Van 
Gele, of the Free State, on the Mobangwe or Welle.) 
Only one canoe has arrived so far from Nyangwe. 
More men were sent away, but none arrived ; there are 
many men here still in chains. God knows how long 
the delay here is going to be. When I speak to Tippu- 
Tib about it, he only loses his temper. One of his gun- 
carriers was drowned to-day whilst bathing ; he got into 
the current, which looks quite slow, but an eddy seemed 
simply to suck him down, although he was a good 
swimmer. Assad gets dirtier and more lazy than ever. 

May 1st. — There is a hope of our getting off the day 



DIARY. 



283 



.,.^.,,4'' 




LONGA-LONGA, ChIEF OF THE McULTJSI. ElBA-RlBA. 

after to-morrow. All the grandees of the place arrive isss. 

to-morrow, to bid farewell to Tippu-Tib. Spent most of ^-^y ^^ 

the day with Tippu-Tib, sending off the loads in the ^°"^^^ 
canoes. 

Ma^ 2nd. — My heart is lighter to-night than it has 



284 STORY OF TEE REAR COLUMN. 

1888. been for a long time. Mahommed bin Alfan, better 
^^ ' known as Miresa, arrived to-day, and I believe we shall 
Eiver. really start the day after to-morrow. He is a very light- 
coloured Arab, almost as fair as a white man, and, were 
it not for the scars of small-pox, would be a good-look- 
ing fellow ; his manners are those of an English gentle- 
man. His head-quarters are close to the missionary, 
Mr. Hoare, at Tanganyika. I am beginning to under- 
stand a good deal of Swahili now, especially if the 
person gesticulates and acts. Whilst I was sitting with 
Tippu-Tib and Miresa to-day, Tippu-Tib told him all 
about Stanley and the Expedition. From what I under- 
stood, Tippu-Tib knows nothing of Mr. Stanley's where- 
abouts, and he went on to tell Miresa that Mr. Holm- 
wood had been making a row about the men ; he also 
made the old excuses about the powder not having come 
up with us at first, and the Soudanese not being allowed 
to fire when his men were wounded, and finally said that 
Mr. Stanley had gone oflF with a lift of his helmet, and 
nothing more was known of him. Tippu-Tib does not 
think that I understand a word of Swahili. Miresa is 
a quiet-looking man, but from all I hear is a very 
devil at fighting the natives, and feared accordingly. 
Muni Katomba, my friend of Scottish descent, came to 
say good-bye. 

May 3rd. — Sefo and Ali Mahommed came to bid us 
farewell. The former has a splendid band. Two girls 
go in front, singing and keeping time with bead rattles. 
Then come three men with side drums played by the 
hand, and last of all one man with a large drum, or 
chondo as it is called, slung before him, and played with 
drum-sticks. All the drums are slung on broad bands 
of leopard skin over the shoulders, and on the big drum 
are small bells, which tinkle when it is struck. The 
men sing as well as the women. Early in the afternoon 
a terrible storm came on, and, in spite of every effort, 
two canoes sank, and three others were only just saved. 
This was the result of loading the canoes several days 
before the start. When I was sitting with Tippu-Tib in 



DIARY. 285 

the evening, about ten more men arrived from Maldla. J888. 
There is no canoe for them. He remarked, " The more ^^ 
the better," and I agree with him. They will go over- Elver, 
land to Nyangwe. Tippu gave me the choice of one of 
four enormous goats to-day. I chose a beauty, the first 
long-haired one I have seen in this country, and it is as 
fat as butter ; he gave me a very large one the other day, 
and this evening sent me two tins of sugar, and some 
Arab biscuits. I really do think that he is anxious to 
give us all the men, and to see us start. He will have 
to wait till midday to-morrow to dry his bales, which 
were nearly drowned to-day. 

May 4cth. — Tippu-Tib's things certainly did want dry- 
ing ; his cloth was all wet, and most of the gunpowder. 
The river-bank looked exactly like a bleaching-green, with 
the long strips of white cloth spread all over the grass. 
Sefo asked me to take a sketch of him, which I was 
only too happy to do, and Mahommed bin Kassim ex- 
pressed the hope that " God would take me safely to 
my home, where I should find all well." Surely nothing 
will occur to delay us now ; but the old song of " What 
will to-morrow bring ] Who can tell ] " is most applicable 
to this country and these people. 

May t>th. — Off at last, thank Heaven ! but — we had 
not gone far when we were nearly stopped for good and 
all. I have thought several times that the canoe was 
too small, and when everything was in it to-day it 
nearly sank. Everyone declared it was all right, but I 
put my foot down when Farani's women arrived, and 
insisted on their going in another canoe. Had I not 
done so, this diary would never have been written to- 
night. In the canoe were nine men, two boys, three 
goats (two very large), ten fowls, fourteen sacks of rice, 
one sack of peanuts, one large heavy tin box, two wooden 
boxes, three enormous loads of manioc, one tent, one 
lot of bedding, one bed, bags, baskets, plantains, cook- 
ing-pots, guns, mats, &c. &c. If a goat or a man 
moved one inch, in came the water ! We went on, 
however, like a water-logged ship, until after midday. 



286 STOBT OF THE BEAM COLUMN, 

1888. when a sudden hea^T^ thunderstorm came up behind us. 

^ ^^ * The men lost all control over the canoe, and she turned 

Wagania . ^ ^ -, 

Tillage. Sideways to the squall ; as it caught the large awning, 
there was no way of letting it go. I ilung myself 
on to the board of the awning outside the canoe, 
and made my boy Farani do so too. For about a 
minute we were rushing through the water on our 
side, out into the middle of the river, luckily at such a 
pace that although the water was three or four inches 
over the side of the canoe, not very much came in. 
At last the men got her before the wind, when in 
came the waves, and we reached a bed of rushes near 
the bank only just in time. I have not had such a 
squeak for many a day, and I thanked God when it was 
well over. Had Farani and I not flung ourselves as far 
out of the canoe as possible, she certainly must have gone 
over. The two women of his, whom we did not take, 
would have done it, and the awning would have drowned 
us like rats in a hole. We camped at sunset in a small 
Wagania village in a swamp. Tippu-Tib's canoe came 
past some time afterwards, but 1 was not going on in 
the dark, when a single knock against a stump would 
have sent us to the bottom ! 

May Qtk, Sunday. — Passed a terrible night between 
the mosquitoes and feeling very seedy. Hired a canoe 
from the Waganias, and put into it the three goats, 
six sacks of rice, and two boys. Reached Nyangwe 
early. Told Tippu that if I did not get another canoe 
I should have to leave the goats and rice behind. 
After some trouble, he promised I should have another 
canoe in the morning. Had to lie down all day, but 
luckily got some fresh milk ; violent sickness all day. 
Said bin Abede came in to see Tippu-Tib. He is nine- 
teen, but looks younger. Had a great show of guns 
with him — silver-plated Winchesters, &c. Miresa had 
a Colt's repeating-riile, about the same as a Winchester. 
Tippu-Tib is certainly wonderfully kind to me ; he sent 
all sorts of food to try and make me eat, and after dark 
came up himself to the house, and brought me a large 



Tillage. 



DIARY. 287 

bowl of milk with his own hands, asking me if I was ^^^ 
all right for the night. Wag^ia 

May 7th. — Did not get away till about 1 o'clock. 
Passed a very bad night and morning. Brandy-and- 
milk is the only thing I can take. Seedy as I was, I 
had to stand out in the sun by the canoes, and super- 
intend everything myself. I often wish Assad could 
be removed to another sphere of labour, as he is worse 
than useless in this one, only taking up the place of a 
better man. As I went down to the canoes for the last 
time, Mahommed bin Alfan and Salem Masudi ran after 
me, to bid me a last good-bye and a safe journey and 
return to England, and to ask if I had any messages to 
send to Ujiji. I begged them tell Mr. Hoare that all 
the officers were well, and that we were just about to 
start after Mr. Stanley. Tippu-Tib presented me with 
a puppy, bred in this country from English parents, 
one of which belonged to Mr. Deane at Stanley Falls. 
Assad is even more useless than I thought he was. 
Reached the rapids after dark. 

May Sth. — Passed another very bad night. My boys 
let the canoe go over to the island, from whence it did 
not return until morning, with my coifee, milk, fruit, 
salt, and everything I required, in it. Assad sat on the 
bank and looked on. Consequently I had only some 
rice to eat and water to drink. The mosquitoes were 
frightful. Made an early start, and walked to the foot 
of the rapids, the canoes taking the loads. To mend 
matters, Assad, although he knew that to lighten the 
canoes everyone, even the men in chains, had to come 
out of them, walked quietly down to one of them, got 
into it, and went off. When I asked for him, he had 
gone. Last night he ate the rice which I was keeping 
for my breakfast this morning, so I started on nothing. 
I told him, when we met, that had anything happened 
to the loads in the canoe in which he went, I would 
have shot him, and so I should, for he is a positive 
danger to any boat. It took a good sharp hour and 
a half s walk to get to the foot of the rapids. The 



288 STORY OF TEE BEAR COLUMN. 

^888. picture was a bright one along the road to the foot of the 
Rapids* rapids, with the strings of Arab women in gay-coloured 
dresses, interspersed among the lines of chained men, 
and here and there the Arab chiefs in their robes of 
spotless white. Tippu met me at the foot of the rapids, 
and sent me a breakfast of pineapple, cakes, and thick 
milk. He considers yesterday a capital day's work. 
We camped at 4 o'clock, sending all our men on to 
an island. I am going to follow Tippu-Tib's example 
and sleep in the canoe. My little dog follows me about 
everywhere, as though he knew his parents were Eng- 
lish, and recognizes me as his lawful master. 

May 9th. — Got away, before sunrise, and did a good 
day's work, camping near Numbi, which was the place 
where we found the natives fighting with Kibonge. 
They are all quiet now, as he gave them a tremendous 
hammering, and took all their guns away. Tippu 
offered to take me down the rapids in a long canoe, 
but I told him the walk was what I wanted. Assad, 
as usual, kept everyone waiting. The start this morn- 
ing was a fine sight, — the white awnings, red flags, and 
dark figures of the natives under a bright sun were 
very picturesque. I counted forty-five canoes, but there 
were many more which I could not see, and the men 
singing, drums beating, and the shouts of the paddlers 
made it very lively. A journey of this sort is an expe- 
rience worth having, but I am afiraid it is too late to 
be of any use. 

May 10th.— Started long before sunrise, and reached 
Eiba-E.iba at sunset, making a long, hot day's work. 
I am so cramped up in this canoe that I am twice as 
tired as I should be after a hard day's walking, and for 
the same reason get no sleep at night. The chief here 
came down to meet and conduct me to the same house 
I occupied before. It is being re-mudded, and is more 
filthy and damp than ever, nor is there any diminution 
in the number of rats. I found out my dog's age to- 
day. She is between ^ve and six months old. I don't 
think I have ever seen so young a dog with the same 



DIABY. 289 

amount of sense. We have to stay here all to-morrow -^^^\q 
to buy food for the men, which is a pity, as we were giba-Eiba 
getting on so well. However, it is no light matter to 
arrive in a place like this suddenly, and find food for 
four hundred men. 

May Wth. — Took a long walk round the outskirts of. 
the town, and found some parts very pretty, standing 
in small clearings in the forest on little hills, with 
streams running between them. Opposite many of the 
houses I noticed small huts, not over two or three feet 
in height, made of grass mats, which, I was +old, were 
graves, and in one I found a circular mound with a 
hole in the centre, resembling the one in the chiefs 
grave at Taweeko. Salem told me that they had heard 
from the Falls that Major Barttelot had sent Ward 
down to Banana, and that he was asking for a steamer. 
As Tippu-Tib was very busy, I went over to the old 
chiefs house to have a talk with him, when presently 
a band, consisting of four drummers, arrived with three 
pedestal-shaped side-drums, and one Avedge-shaped 
chondo. The players, whose heads were covered with 
thick white clay, and ornamented with a coronet of 
white feathers, knelt in front of the house, one a little 
in front of the others. The upper part of their bodies 
was streaked with the same white clay, and their dress 
consisted of strips of fresh palm-leaves hanging from a 
green branch fastened round their waists. Presently 
there danced into the reception house two men and a 
woman ; the first man was dressed like the drummers, 
but the other man and the woman were clad in the 
ordinary Tamba-Tamba cloths. The first man held a 
large bunch of small branches and leaves in each hand, 
which he struck together over the head of each of us, 
dancing all the time, and all three singing a wild sort 
of chant. The woman had a knife in one hand, and a 
bunch of leaves in the other, with a circle of safiron- 
colour surrounding each eye. The other man held a 
spear and a bunch of leaves. These were followed by 
six men and the same number of women, with heads 



290 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

whitened, and dressed the same as the drummers. 
They danced in, and, each in turn, clapped their 
branches of leaves together over our heads, and danced 
out again. The man and woman with the spear and 
knife, as well as a small boy holding two chickens 
with their throats cut, and two youths, all dressed the 
same as the others, went and stood behind the 
drummers. The other men and women then danced 
forward in a line, the men first, then the women, the 
drums striking up a lively measure. They now moved 
round the band in a circle, their bodies bent forward 
in a half-sitting posture, going through the most extra- 
ordinary contortions. This was kept up for some time 
by the men and women alternately, but at last they all 
stood still in a half-circle round the band, and sang a 
wild chant. Next came a handsome, tall young nigger, 
in the long white Arab dress, with a head-dress of red 
parrot feathers, and a woman dressed in gaudy-coloured 
clothes, and this couple, having become the centre 
figures of the group, went through a sort of benedic- 
tion pantomime, raising their hands as the others all 
bowed their heads. The chief then presented them 
with a gun, and explained to me all about them. They 
are slaves from the Wacusu, and a good many of them 
have been dying lately, so these men and women went 
away into the bush for two months, during which time 
they have not been seen by anyone. They only re- 
turned to-day, having finished their medicine-making. 
Tippu-Tib, who came in before it was over, told me 
that they usually kill several people, and have a grand 
feast, for the Wacusu are terrible cannibals. He then 
told me, amongst other stories, that long ago, when 
fighting near Malela, they killed a great many of the 
enemy. The natives who were with him were cannibals, 
and not a body could be found next morning. (He tells 
me that two men will easily eat one man in a night.) 
He sent for water in the night to wash his hands and 
to drink, the water there being in a well. When it 
was brought, he could not make out why it stuck to 
his hands, and was so oily and bad to drink. Next 



DIABY. 291 

day he and several Arabs went np to see what was the ^^^{^ 
matter with the water, and there they saw a most j^iij^tiiiba 
horrible sight. The top of the water was all covered 
with a thick layer of yellow fat, which was running 
over the side, and he found out that his natives had 
taken all the human meat to the well to wash it before 
eating. At the next place he camped by a stream, and 
made the natives camp below him. I told him that 
people at home generally believed that these were only 
" travellers' tales," as they are called in our country, or, 
in other words, lies. He then said something to an Arab 
called Ali, seated next him, who turned round to me 
and said, " Give me a bit of cloth, and see." I sent 
my boy for six handkerchiefs, thinking it was all a joke, 
and that they were not in earnest, but presently a man 
appeared, leading a young girl of about ten years old 
by the hand, and I then witnessed the most horribly 
sickening sight I am ever likely to see in my life. He 
plunged a knife quickly into her breast twice, and she 
fell on her face, turning over on her side. Three men 
then ran forward, and began to cut up the body of the 
girl ; finally her head was cut off, and not a particle 
remained, each man taking his piece away down to the 
river to wash it. The most extraordinary thing was 
that the girl never uttered a sound, nor struggled, until 
she fell. Until the last moment, I could not believe 
that they were in earnest. I have heard many stories 
of this kind s nee I have been in this country, but 
never could believe them, and I never would have been 
such a beast as to witness this, but I could not bring 
myself to believe that it was anything save a ruse to 
get money out of me, until the last moment. 

The girl was a slave captured from a village close to 
this town, and the cannibals were Wacusu slaves, and 
natives of this place, called Mculusi. When I went 
home I tried to make some small sketches of the scene 
while still fresh in my memory, not that it is ever likely 
to fade from it. No one here seemed to be in the least 
astonished at it. 

In the afternoon I had a long talk with Tippu-Tib. 

U2 



292 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

1888 I explained to Mm that Mr. Stanley had left orders to 
Riba-Eiba. communicate with the Committee when possible, 
and that, as no steamer had come to the Falls, Major 
Barttelot had considered it necessary before leaving on 
such a journey to telegraph the facts to the Committee, 
also to try to obtain a steamer for the conveyance of 
Mr. Troup away from the Falls, in case of our going home 
by another route. I considered it necessary to explain 
these matters to Tippu-Tib, as he seemed to think there 
was some other end in view, and had said last night 
that did we not send the loads, he would send the men 
after Mr. Stanley without them. This makes me all 
the more certain of what I have thought ever since 
reaching Kassongo, that if we had any row with him, 
this is what he would do. He told me to-day that Bart- 
telot had had a row with Selim Mahommed, and that 
Nzige had written to Selim Mahommed, telling him on 
no account to have any row with the Major. Tippu- 
Tib could not tell me what it was about. T told him 
that he must remember that the Major was quick- 
tempered, and had been fearfully tried by the long 
delay at the camp ; that he must not think much about 
it, as I knew Selim Mahommed was the man the Major 
wanted to go with us; that he, the Major, was only 
quick-tempered, not bad-tempered; that we all had 
had rows with one another in camp; and that we should 
be sure to find it all settled when we returned. He 
told me that he would wait three days at the Falls, 
then start all the men overland from Yalisula for our 
camp, and go himself with his chief Arabs up the Aru- 
wimi in canoes. He asked me whether I would Wait 
at the Falls and accompany the men, or go on straight to 
our camp. I told him I thought it better to go straight 
on to camp. I want to see Major Barttelot before he 
sees Tippu-Tib. 

May 12th. — Left Eiba-Riba just before sunrise, and 
camped on the river-bank about an hour before sunset. 
Had a long conversation with Tippu-Tib this evening. 
He began by asking me how we had obtained India, 



DIARY, 293 

the Cape, and most of our Colonies. I told him most ^^^^* 
of them by conquest, and that the last of them was ^^ 
Burmah, where our troops were fighting when we left Eiver. 
England. He said, " You see all this river from 
Nyangwe to the Falls, it is all quiet now, but when we 
first came the natives were very warlike, and we had to 
light every village in turn. The Belgians have made me 
chief of Stanley Falls Station down to Bangala, and I 
want to see all that part of the river like this. What I 
propose doing is to fight each lot of natives on both sides 
of the river all the way from Basoko to Bangala, and 
leave men in charge of each large place ; but the Bel- 
gians have never communicated with me since I came up 
to Stanley Falls last year." I told him I was as much 
astonished as he was that they had not done so ; we had 
often talked about it in camp, and Mr. Ward might say 
something about it on his way to Banana ; their only 
excuse could be that they had no steamer. He then 
said, " We were at the Falls long before the Belgians. 
I had been wandering about and fighting in Central 
Africa for fourteen years, when I met a Belgian officer 
near Tanganyika, who asked me whether I agreed to 
the Falls belonging to Belgium. I asked him whether 
he had consulted the Sultan of Zanzibar. He said, ' No.' 
So I replied, ' Unless the Sultan gives the Falls to you, 
I will not.' " Tippu-Tib then saw the Sultan, who at 
that time would not have given them up. He returned 
to the Falls, where Mr. Deane then was, and settled 
numerous matters about the Lumami Eiver and other 
places, and again left for Zanzibar, telling his brother 
Nzige not to quarrel with Mr. Deane, but that they 
ought both rather to try and help one another. Just 
after his arrival at Zanzibar, the news was brought to 
him of the fighting at the Falls, and he went straight 
to the Sultan, but, as he expressed it, " he found his 
power all gone," for the Sultan declined to have any- 
thing to do with it. Tippu-Tib told him he would go 
to England about it, and he replied, " All right." 
Tippu-Tib then went to Mr. Holmwood, who told him 
there was no occasion to go to England, that he could 



294 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

1888. settle the matter from Zanzibar, and the present state 
^^ ' of aiFairs is the result of that settlement. He said, 
River! laugMng, " If I find all the power gone from the Bel- 
gians as it is from the Sultan, then 1 will take it all 
myself." He has written to the King of the Belgians, 
asking him to send two officers and about thirty men 
to the Falls, not to assist him in any fighting, but as 
visible authority on behalf of the State, during his own 
stay there, and in case of his absence at any time ; but 
ever since the despatch of this letter (about a year ago) 
not a word have they sent him to the Falls. 

He told me that if no steamer arrived before we left 
Yambuya, he would go himself to Bangala and ask for 
an explanation. I told him I thought he was perfectly 
right, as they had no business to keep him in suspense 
all this time, and that, when Mr. Stanley left, I did not 
think he ever expected they would have behaved as 
they had done. He said that the Germans had been 
treating with him for that country, but he had told 
them that as the Belgians were friends of England, and 
he wished to remain friends with both, he would settle 
matters with the Belgians. I told him that if I coukl 
help him by wiiting a letter to Mr. Liebrichts, fully ex- 
plaining what his views were on the matter, I would 
willingly do so, and he said that if a steamer did not 
come before we left he would beg me to do this. He 
then asked me what it cost the King of the Belgians a 
year. I said I believed about £40,000. He asked if 
he got any return for this. I said. No ; that the only 
people who made any money out of the country were 
the trading-houses, Dutch, English, and Portuguese. 
Tippu-Tib said, "If he will only give me half of it, I 
will guarantee him a handsome return from a tax on 
all ivory from Nyangwe to Bangala." The way the 
Belgians have treated Tippu-Tib seems very strange. He 
is extremely anxious to have a definite settlement made 
about the matter, and they have kept him for a whole 
year without any communication whatever. Tippu-Tib 
naturally cannot understand this way of doing things, 
and looks upon it as a decided slight upon himself. 



DIABY. 



295 




Mfni Somai, 



May l^tk, Sundai/.— Started before sunrise, but did 
not do a very good day's work. We camped on an island 
just below the entrance of the Linde E-iver. Tippu-Tib 
told me last night that the second chief of E,iba-Riba, a 
tall dark Arab called Muni Somai, was coming with us, 
and would command the men, whether Selim Mahommed 
went or not. He seems pleasant, and Tippu-Tib says 
he is a good man for the work. When I told Assad 
Farran of this to-day, he quietly informed me that he 
had known it before, as the other Riba-Riba chief had 
told him that Muni Somai was paying Tippu-Tib £300 
in order to go with us ! Had I not spoken to Assad 
about it, he would never have mentioned this to me, 
and yet Major Barttelot's definite orders to him were to 
find out all he could from the Arabs that had to do 
with the Expedition, and to tell it to me at once. I 



1888. 
May 13. 

Congo 
River. 



296 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

1888. asked him this very morning whether he had heard 
Q^ ^ anything new, and he said " No." He is the dirtiest, 
Eiver. laziest, and most useless specimen I have had to deal 

with, and is simply an encumbrance to me instead of a 

help. 

May lifJi. — Got away again before daybreak, and 
did the best day's work we have yet done, camping on 
the mainland about an hour before sunset. We ought 
to reach Kibonge early to-morrow. 

May Ibth. — Started after sunrise, as it rained heavily 
for about an hour. Reached Kibonge at 11 o'clock. 
Three of Tippu-Tib's men took some fish from the 
natives this morning, who in their turn took the men's 
guns. I was shown into the reception house, where 
Kibonge, the chief, Tippu-Tib, and all the head men 
were assembled. Among them was a tall dark Arab 
with a long black beard, exactly like one of the Indian 
Sikh Cavalry, who was giving Tippu-Tib all the infor- 
mation about the men left by Stanley at Eturi, and 
about the country itself. This man is a Soudanese, and 
deserted from Sir Samuel Baker in Uganda. It seems 
that he is the first man who has taught them how to 
make soap in this country. On my questioning him, 
Tippu-Tib declared he had received no other news of 
Stanley than what I already knew. Kibonge himself 
conducted me to the same house which I had before 
stayed in ! This time, however, I had it to myself, as my 
host Kapruta was away fighting the natives at Yan- 
kewe, beyond Wamanga Eapids. Kibonge, the chief, 
is exactly like a Chinese mandarin. In the afternoon 
I went to see two chimpanzees, just brought by the 
natives to an Arab. They are both females, and fine 
large specimens. Their owner keeps them in strong 
baskets slung from the roof of the verandah, and it is 
most amusing to see them rocking themselves backwards 
and forwards, evidently enjoying the motion. In the 
evening I made a sketch of one of Kapruta's Lights of 
the Harem, called Assimene, whom he has left behind 
in charge of the house. One great drawback to art in 



DIARY. 



297 




^^^ 






ASSIMENE. 



this country is the fact that all the natives and a great 
many of the Arabs believe that they will certainly die if 
you make a picture of them, and so one loses many 
sketches. Another whole day will have to be spent 
here for the men to collect food, which principally con- 
sists of sweet potatoes. The race of the whole fleet of 
canoes into Kibonge this morning was a fine sight. 

May \^th. — Bad news to-day. Three guns were 
taken from the last lot of Tippu-Tib's canoes, that went 
down the river, by the same natives who took those 
yesterday, so men have been sent to recover them, and 
we shall have to wait here over to-morrow. Salem 
Masudi told me this morning that he had dreamed last 
night that he was with me on the march from our 
camp, just after we had left it, and that a messenger 
arrived to say that Stairs was at Tanganyika, and that 
we were to return and go down that way. Salem said 
that his dreams always came true, and that he was 
willing to bet one hundred dollars that we should never 
go to the Lake, and that most likely a canoe would 
come after us with the news, before we reached the 
Falls. Whether this is a quiet way of breaking some 
news to me, or an invention of his brain, remains to be 



1888. 
May 15. 

Kibonge. 



Kibonge, 



298 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

1888. proved. I asked Tippu-Tib in Kibonge's presence this 
TTiWcri afternoon whether any of Mr. Stanley's men had reached 
this place. He turned round and asked Kibonge, who 
assured him that none had come here, and that all the 
men that Stanley had left were still at Eturi. He added 
they were all sick, and could not move when left. 
Tippu-Tib then said to me, " If one or two men had 
reached this place, I should have known it, for I am 
just as anxious to see them as you are." Took a 
sketch of one of the chimpanzees to-day, but it would 
not remain still for one instant. 

May 17th. — After breakfast I went to see Tippu-Tib, 
and found with him Muni Somai, the chief from Eiba- 
Riba, who has a fine, good-natured, intelligent face, 
and I like the little I have seen of him. I told him I 
hoped we should soon know one another, and be good 
friends, as we should have to spend a k)ng time to- 
gether. Thank goodness ! the guns have been returned, 
and we shall get away to-morrow. Kibonge came to 
my house and we had a long talk. He told me that he 
was here before Mr. Stanley went down the Congo, and 
that he had sent with him men to help him ; that Stanley 
had given him and his men nothing, and that the only 
thing he got was a present of a 20 lb. keg of gun- 
powder from Ngalyema, the native chief at Stanley 
Pool. He said that if Mr. Stanley had behaved well to 
him then, he would have sent all his men after him 
now. He told me that he had been with Livingstone, 
with the chief Sekrutu, and the Makalolos. It took him 
five years' hard fighting to conquer the country in which 
he now is. He said he would have found me in food, 
and taken me through the whole of Equatorial Africa, 
for the money which I paid Mr. Stanley. The camp at 
Eturi, on the Aruwimi River, is only one month's journey 
from the Lake. He was as much astonished as all the 
other Arabs at my coming on this Expedition, but came 
to the conclusion that " white men are curious people." 
He asked me if Stanley would make me no return in the 
way of money or land, and was greatly astonished when 



DIARY. 



299 



I told him that I should not make a farthing out of the 

whole Expedition ! There is a fence of about 10 ft. in 

height all round the yard at the 

back of the house, and I succeeded 

to-day, after much persuasion, in 

getting a woman, who had come 

in to sell manioc, to stand for a 

sketch. I had hardly begun to 

draw, when she made a race at 

the fence, went over it like a bird, 

and alighted like a sack of coals 

on the other side. I saw no more 

of her. Tippu-Tib sent for me this 

morning to look at a large bunch of 

plantains. Two men were carrying 

it, and it measured 6 ft. 9 in. in 

length, and had nine points of 

fruit upon it. 



May ISfh. — Got away early, 
before the market opened, and 
reached the rapids above those at 
Wamanga. The river was so low 
that everything had to be taken 
out of the canoes and carried over- 
land. Two of the 
very nearly lost. 



1888. 
May 17. 
Kibonge 




canoes were 



BuNca OF Plantains, 



May 19th. — Tippu-Tib's canoe did not get over until 
late, and we had to wait at the head of the Wamanga 
Rapids until he arrived. There are about forty canoes 
belonging to Kibonge coming up the rapids, which 
causes a delay. Tippu-Tib camped at the head of the 
rapids, and I followed suit. He told us that Major 
Barttelot would meet us at the Falls ; he also told me 
all about himself and Mr. Stanley, at the time when the 
latter crossed Africa. Tippu-Tib was at Kassongo, 
when Mr. Stanley arrived there and told him he wanted 
to go up north into the Munza country, promising him 
a lot of money if he would help him. He started with 



300 STORY OP THE BEAR COLUMN. 

uT% S^^^l^y? taking a number of men, and they went for about 
Wamanga fi^^en days, through thick forest, water, and mad. 
Rapids. Tippu-Tib had told Stanley that it would take them 
sixty days, but the road was so bad that Stanley asked 
Tippu to take him back to the Congo that he might 
go down the river. They went back accordingly, and 
struck the river at the rapids, a day below Nyangwe. 
Here they tried to obtain canoes from the natives, but 
as they could not get them they put the boat together, 
crossed, fought the natives, and got canoes. Stanley and 
his men then proceeded down the river in the boat and 
canoes, whilst Tippu-Tib went along the bank. They 
journeyed on thus to Kasuku, when Tippu-Tib decided 
to return. Mr. Stanley agreed to his doing so, but when 
he wished to start all his men deserted, and said they 
were going back with Tippu-Tib. He went to Tippu, 
who promised to make it all right. Next morning, how- 
ever, Stanley went again to Tippu, and told him that if 
he allowed his men to desert, and go back with him, he 
would write to the Sultan of Zanzibar, and have all his 
country taken away from him. Tippu-Tib then told 
Mr. Stanley's men that he would shoot any of them who 
followed him (Tippu), and at last got them into the 
canoes, and saw them start. Mr. Stanley said to him, 
" If I cannot get through, I will return, so wait here 
for some time ; but if I get through, I don't know what 
present will be good enough to send you, for it will make 
a great name for me, and much money. I will send you 
my watch, which is a very valuable one, my gun, my 
tent, and anything you may fancy of mine," and then 
bade him good-bye. From that day to this he never 
sent him a thing, and Tippu-Tib told him so on board 
the Madura. Mr. Stanley replied, " Did you not get 
the beautiful cloth and gun I sent you 1 " Tippu said, 
" No. You sent the gun, a Winchester, to the Sultan, 
and the cloth to Terria Topin." There was a short 
amusing scene, I hear, to-day, when some of the natives, 
who were getting the canoes over the rapids, tried to run 
away. There was a grand hunt over the rocks and 
through the water. 



DIARY. 301 

May 20th, Sunday. — Struck tents soon after day- -^^^q 
break. It is a fine sight to see the canoes shoot the ^g^J^n a 
last piece of the rapids, which they do right down the Eapids. 
centre fall. Sometimes half of the canoe is clean out 
of the water. Four were smashed and lost, but no one 
was drowned. It is a curious sight to see one of these 
great, long canoes shoot up in the air, and then come 
crash down on a rock, when the longer half may be 
seen standing straight on end, and whirling round and 
round, only to disappear suddenly for good and all. 
I got a sketch of Tippu-Tib to-day, and one of Muni 
Somai. 

May 21st. — Two more canoes were smashed this 
morning, but Tippu did not wait to buy more ; we went 
straight on till sunset, when we camped at Yankewe. 
There is not a native to be seen, and only the charred 
ruins remain of their villages. Kibonge's men have 
done their ruthless work thoroughly. The natives sent 
a present of ivory to Nzige, begging him to intercede 
for them, which he did. 

May 22nd. — Started before sunrise and reached 
Stanley Falls at sunset. Found Major Barttelot and 
Mons. Van Kerckhoven, the chief of Bangala, here, the 
latter having come up in the S.S. A. I. A,, on hearing 
of Tippu-Tib's annoyance at the non-arrival of any 
steamer. It is a real pleasure to talk to a white man 
again. It appears that Selim Mahommed has been 
trying to turn the natives against us, and there has 
been serious trouble between his men and ours. At 
one time, from his misbehaviour, the camp was con- 
sidered to be in danger. 

May 2Zrd. — Major Barttelot had a long interview 
to-day with Tippu-Tib, who said he could only give us 
400 men altogether, and pretended that he did not un- 
derstand at Kassongo that the 400 men asked for then 
were to be extra, besides the 600 already promised; 
yet at my interview with him on April 12th, at Kas- 



302 ISTOlir OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

mI^s songo, he distinctly stated to me that the payment for 
Stanley ^^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^ would Settle with Stanley, and that he 
FaiiB. would leave the payment for the 400 extra men until 
our return. Every man of the 400 now given came 
with us from Kassongo this time, and he told me him- 
self, on my arrival there, that he had already sent away 
700 men. Judging from the number I met coming to 
the Falls on my road to Kassongo, in addition to the 
250 already sent to the Aruwimi, he must have sent 
about 700, and I have not the slightest doubt that he 
would have given them all to us, had it not been for 
the arrival of Mons. Van Kerckhoven. This has caused 
him to hold back the men, either for fear of trouble 
with the Belgians, or in consequence of Van Kerckhoven 
having informed him that he would give him a pro- 
tectorate over all the Aruwimi and up to the Welle, 
or Mobange, where Selim Mahommed's people have 
already been, and advised him to put as many men 
into that country as possible. It is a very serious blow 
to us. Muni Somai agreed to come as commander of 
the 400 men supplied by Tippu-Tib, on the payment 
of £1,000, and a right to any ivory he might get on the 
road. Tippu-Tib swore that he did not care whether 
he was paid one farthing for his men. He stipulated, 
however, that they were not to go into Uganda, and 
were to return to his territory, either to Stanley Falls, 
Kassongo, or Ujiji. Barttelot has explained to Tippu- 
Tib his differences with Selim Mahommed. Tippu 
himself, and several other Arabs, said he was a bad man, 
and no friend to the white men. It is agreed that we 
start the day after to-morrow. 

May 24ith. — Tippu-Tib came over early and settled 
everything finally with us, and then had an interview 
vdth Van Kerckhoven. Tippu-Tib requested us not to 
go until the day after to-morrow. Wrote out agree- 
ments between Muni Somai and ourselves ready for 
signing, and bought fowls for the road. 

25^ A. — Went over to the other side before 



DIARY. 303 

breakfast, and got the agreements signed. In the ^^^^^|v 
afternoon crossed again, to say good-bye to old Nasoro gtaniev 
Masudi. JFaib. 

Mai/ 2Qth, — A terrific storm of wind and rain came 
on last night, and fairly flooded me out of my bed. 
We did not get away until after lunch, having said 
good-bye to Tippu-Tib, and all the chief Arabs. We 
stopped at Tatiacusu for the night. We are eighty men 
short of the 400, but Tippu-Tib says we shall get those 
at our camp. He himself follows in three days with 
Van Kerckhoven in the A, I. A. Muni Somai follows 
to-morrow. Van Kerckhoven has been very kind indeed 
to us, giving us everything he could spare, and doing 
all he could to help us. 

May 21th, Sunday. — Started at daylight, and reached 
Yangumbi, below Yalisula, about 3 o'clock. Men met 
us in canoes from every village, without our having to 
land, and took us on to the next. The head munia- 
para did not arrive until late, and as Muni Somai did 
not turn up, we had some difiiculty in arranging about 
carriers. 

May 2Sth. — Muni Somai arrived, and settled the 
question of carriers by giving us forty. Did not get 
away until 11.30, and camped at the third water. The 
road is a very good one, so far the best I have seen in 
this country. 

May 29th. — Got away at 7 o'clock, and camped at a 
village called Yerina. The road was bad, owing to a 
quantity of cane-brake. 

May ^Oth. — Barttelot went on ahead to the camp, 
while I followed with the carriers. Passed a number 
of the Aruwimi natives (under two Arabs), who were 
being taken from near our camp to fight some natives 
on the Congo. When Abdullah Karongo guided me 
to Stanley Falls the first time, he had natives with him 
from close to Stanley Falls, whom he had employed to 



304 STORY OF TEE BEAR COLUMN. 

^l^\^^ fight the Aruwimi natives. The mtiniapara with our 
Return to carriers got drunk on malafu, or palm-wine, to-day, and 
Yambuya fell oif a log iuto a deep spot in one of the rivers, 
greatly to every one's amusement. 

May 3l5#. — Reached camp before 11 o'clock. I was 
quite glad to get back to the old place again, for it has 
been a kind of home to me for a long time. Found 
Troup very ill in bed, and to-day he sent in an appli- 
cation to Major Barttelot to be sent home, which was 
granted. Busy repacking rice all the afternoon. Selim 
Mahommed came into camp and gave me a most 




A I^TiW Wat of Catching Chicken's. 

affectionate greeting. Over eighty men have died in 
this camp altogether, and there are a good many little 
better than dead. I can see that I have a heavy task 
before me in the reduction of the loads. Barttelot has 
too much writing to do to be able to help, Troup is ill 
in bed, and Bonny has a very bad hand, which quite 
incapacitates him from doing any work whatever, so that 
I must do the whole lot myself. 

June 1st. — Busy reducing loads all day. Muni 
Somai arrived, and said that Selim Mahommed will do 
nothing for him. He can get no fish, and says he 
came away in such a hurry that he has no rice, or any- 
thing to eat, and no clothes for his women ! 



DIARY. 305 

June 2nd. — A hard day again at the stores. }^^2 

June 3rd, Sundae/. — AM day again at the stores. * '^ "^* 
Heavy rain. 

June Ath. — ^All day at the ammunition boxes. The 
Stanley and the A. I.' A. arrived, bringing Tippu- 
Tib, Mons. Van Gele, Mons. Baert, who is to be 
Tippu-Tib's secretary, and Mons. Van Kerckhoven, and 
the new Belgian officer for Stanley Falls Station. The 
Stanley brought a great number of letters, principally 
for Troup and Bonny. My share of them, alas ! con- 
sisted only of a receipt from Rowland Ward for things 
sent home with Mr. Walker. No news of Mr. Stanley. 
Ward cannot possibly return before July. Thank good- 
ness, Mr. Werner, the engineer of the A. I. J., has 
offered his services in assisting me with the ammu- 
nition, and is bringing three carpenters from the 
steamers. 



June bth. — Busy again all day and part of the 
night at the stores. Barttelot had an interview with 
Tippu-Tib, and succeeded in getting thirty more men. 



June 6th. — Still at loads all day, and busy at night 
writing out list, &c., for the Major. Mons. Van Gele 
has agreed to keep the steamers here until Saturday, 
we having given him six goats as food. Barttelot again 
interviewed Tippu-Tib, and obtained fifteen slaves for 
his 600 express rifle. 

Jwie 1th. — Busy day at the loads. Tippu-Tib and 
Muni Somai signed agreements, on receiving part pay- 
ment of their money. I hear that the relations be- 
tween Tippu-Tib and Van Kerckhoven are decidedly 
strained at present. We discovered three parts of a 
bottle of whiskey in an old box of William's, the last 
remains of that which I brought from England. Needless 
to remark, it was seized upon, and consumed at intervals 
during the next three days. I have not had a moment 
of time to pack my collection or to write home. 

X 



306 8T0BY OF THE BEAR COLOMB. 

1888. June Sth. — The loads that Tippu-Tib*s people are to 

vambu a, ^^^^Y weie handed over to him to-day. A good many 
of them were a pound or two over the exact weight, 
and he refused point-blank to carry them, although 
yesterday he himself handled many of those now objected 
to, and said they were perfectly right. Whilst re- 
packing them, I had called Barttelot's attention to the 
fact that some of them were over weight, asking him 
if he thought it would matter, to which he replied, 
" Certainly not." We therefore cannot start to-morrow, 
but must re-open a number of the cases, and reduce them, 
in many cases by only two small packets of cartridges. 
The chief objection raised was that the specially packed 
Remington ammunition had not been reduced. Troup 
was carried on board the Stanley this evening.* 

June Wi.—Got all the loads finished to-day. The 
Stanley and A. /. A. left for Stanley Falls. 

June 10th, Sunday. — Gave out loads, guns, &c. 
Nearly all the caps turn out to be bad. When packing 
them on board the S.S. Madura, I tried some of them, 
and told Mr. Stanley that they were bad, but he would 
not listen to me ; the consequence is, we have had to 
buy 40,000 from Tippu-Tib. I had just time to pack 
my collections roughly, but God knows how they will all 
get home ! I am sending them by Tippu-Tib to Stanley 
Falls, there to await the arrival of Mr. GreshofF, whom 
I have asked to forward them home. Had scarcely an 
hour left to write my letter for home. 

* From a letter to Mr. Andrew Jameson, dated June Sth : — " Major 
Barttelot and I have had to sign our names to an agreement to pay the 
man going in charge of the 400 men, of Tippu-Tib's, the sum of ^1,000 
on the completion of our journey after Mr. Stanley and Emin Pasha. 
We are almost certain the Committee will give this sum ; but, so that 
there may be no mistake about it, Major Barttelot has asked his father 
to place £500 to his credit at Zanzibar, in about six months' time ; so 
I want you to send me a letter of credit for that amount in about six 
or seven months." 



LETTER, 307 

LETTER TO MRS. JAMESOjN". }^^\ 

June 8. 
Yambuya Camp, Yambuya 

June 8th, 1888. 

.... Ward is away down the Congo sending 
telegrams to England. Troup has just gone off in the 
Stanley, I fear in a dying state, leaving only Barttelot, 
Bonny, and myself to do all the work. Bonny has a 
frightfully bad hand, which prevents his doing anything 
at all, and the Major's time is entirely taken up with 
official correspondence, so I have had a bad time of it. 
I have had to convert nearly 500 loads of 60 lbs. each 
into loads of 40 lbs. each, and write out all the lists, 
&c., for the Major. We start the day after to-morrow, 
and I have had not one atom of time to pack my col- 
lections, and the steamers are gone. I don't know 
what I shall do. I will try and get Tippu-Tib, who is 
here, to take them to Stanley Falls for me, where they 
may catch one of the Belgian steamers. We have only 
got 400 men from Tippu-Tib after all his promises to 
me at Kassongo, so we have to leave many of our loads, 
but are going to do our best to reach the Lake, and 
find out something about Stanley and Emin Pasha. . . . 
I do hope we shall be able to get home in about nine 
months from now. ... It was so sad to see the steamer 
arrive the other day, and not a letter for me *. I am 
to do all the advance work of the march ; Mr. Bonny 

will be in the centre, and the Major in the rear 

The next news you will hear from me will be a tele- 
gram from Zanzibar, telling you I am just leaving for 
England. Not one word of news have I had since your 
letter from Italy of April, a year ago ; it is this entire 
lack of news that makes it so hard to one. And now I 
must bid you a long good-bye, and may God bless and 
guard you and our little ones until my return. . . . 

* By some inexplicable mischance, Jameson's letters were detained 
at Banana, and even upon Mr. Walker's application for them, with a 
written order from Jameson, they were not given up to him. — Ed. 



x2 




^^-v&fe-^ 



EiTEPv Scene. 



CHAPTER IX. 

June 11th to August 8th. 

Final start from Yambuya Camp. — Manyemas loot the camp. — Abdullah's 
village. — Muni Somai has trouble with Manyemas. — Fourteen men de- 
sert. — Jameson returns to Yambuya in search of missing loads. — Selim 
Mahommed guarantees to recover loads and rifles. — More desertions. — 
Small-pox. — Muni Somai goes in search of deserters, and is fired at. — 
Theft of beads. — Trouble with the Muniaparas. — A long day of disaster. 
— Major Barttelot returns to Stanley Falls, leaving Jameson in com- 
mand. — Fresh trouble with Manyemas. — Jameson arrives at Ujele. — 
Takes over command from Bonny. — Muni Somai utterly useless as a 
commander. — Mquangandy. — Letters from Barttelot ordering w^hole 
force to proceed to Unaria. — War amongst head men. — A night fusillade. 
— Bonny loses his way. — Muni Hamela hands over to Jameson 40,000 
Enfield caps. — News of Major Barttelot's death. — Arrival at Unaria. — 
Interview with three head Manyemas. — Jameson offers reward for 
Sanga's arrest. — Jameson proceeds to Stanley Falls. — Finds the Man- 
yemas camped in forest. — Meets Muni Somai. — Nasoro Masudi warns 
Jameson that Manyemas have threatened to shoot him. — Arrival at 
Stanley Falls. — Interview with Tippu. — Muni Somai tried and con- 
victed of desertion. — Letter to Andrew Jameson. — Letter to Mrs. Jame- 
son. — Rachid declines to accompany Jameson. — Tippu volunteers to do 
so for £20,000. — Trial and death of Sanga. — Jameson determines to go 
to Bangala in order to obtain reply from Committee. — Mr. Stanley's 
letter to Jameson. 

DIAHY (continued). 

1888. June nth, Suedi's Village. — Thank God, we have left 
Yambuya Camp at last, and I hope for good. Got all the 



' 0/ ffu\ 







Pac-simile of a Pen-and-Ink Sketch by J, S. Jameson. [Page 308. ] 



DIARY. 311 

men and loads started at 7.30. Before we had actually jj^^g^ji 
quitted the camp, and were standing outside, Tippu-Tib's suedi's 
people made a rush in, and looted everything remaining Village. 
in it. I had left five cases in my house, containing all 
my natural history collections and curios firmly screwed 
down, and in charge of Mons. Baert, Tippu-Tib's new 
Belgian secretary, who was kind enough to say he 
would look after them for me, until Mr. GreshofFs 
arrival at the Falls, to which place Tippu-Tib had pro- 
mised to take them himself. The following letter from 
Mons. Baert, sent after me, will show what happened 
to them : — 

Dear Sir, 

I have a bad news to announce you. Whilst I was 
going to ask Tippu to take your loads, the Manyemas 
came in the camp, and robbed all what they could. 
Just in returning I saw one man with one of your 
boxes, and I took it with me. But when I arrived at 
your house, I find one of your boxes broken and all that 
was in it stolen. I immediately made a furious talk to 
Tippu, and his man slave been send over the camp. 
Lucky have found of your boxes, and I will do all what 
I can to have the rest, but I have not a great hope. I 
am very sorry of that, but I assure you it is not my 
fault. It is a good lesson for my future conduct with 
those beggars. A last time, good chance, and my com- 
pliments to Major and Mr. Bonny. 

Yours sincerely, 

A. Baert. 

You may imagine my feelings on receiving this note. 
Our men followed the example of the Manyemas, and 
before starting fired ofi" about twenty rounds before we 
could stop them. They marched well, and seemed 
willing. Frightful bother with Muni Somai's loads in 
camp. Men continually firing ofi" guns. The road lay 
for the most part up the bed of streams, which made 
the going bad. 

Jtme 12th. — Reached Abdullah's village at the rapids 



312 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

1888^ about 4 o*clock. The road is the worst I have seen in 
AbduU h' ^^^ country, lying through old plantations, overgrown 
Village, with uiauioc, and full of large fallen timber, with one 
bad river to cross. Muni Somai's men did not start 
until after us, and only reached a village not quite half- 
way, where they camped. Bonny's donkey could not 
get over the fallen timber, and was left on the road. A 
little more than half-way here we crossed Stanley's 
road, running parallel to the river about a mile above it. 
The men came along very well. No loads lost. I fear 
there will be trouble before long between our men and 
the Manyemas. Our men are afraid of them, but taunt 
them for not carrying heavier loads, and for being can- 
nibals, as, for a fact, the majority of them are. Canoes 
pass the rapids here up the northern bank. There are 
hippos below the rapids on the southern bank. This is 
one of the advanced posts of the Arabs on the Aru- 
wimi, and was formed by an Arab of Tippu-Tib's called 
Abdullah Corona, after our arrival at Yambuya this time 
last year, when it was a native village. It is now in 
the charge of an Arab called Sala Sala; it possesses 
four or five large Arab houses, and^ many smaller 
ones, and promises to be a large post. Abdullah has 
formed another camp at Unaria, about nine days from 
here, higher up the river, which is Tippu-Tib's most 
advanced post. The only other Arab camp is at Eturi, 
said to be within a month of Lake Albert Nyanza, 
formed by Arabs from Kibonge on the Congo, the head 
of it being Lugalowa, an Arab and a freed slave. 

June 13^A.— Halted all day. Muni Somai's men 
began to pass through about 11 o'clock, but he himself, 
with the rear-guard, did not come in until two hours 
later. Had a busy day, mending helmet, boots, revolver, 
holster, &c., and making a bed. One man ran away 
yesterday with two guns. 

June 14th. — Started at 6.30 from Abdullah's camp, 
and reached the last native village between it and one 
of Nasoro bin Saef s, which is -^ye days further on. I 
arrived about 10 o'clock, the rear at 11 o'clock. The 



DIARY. 313 

road lay for the first hour amongst low bush and y^®^^- 
manioc plantations, then through a large village into -^^^^^^ 
a swamp, and on to another long native village of Village. 
huts shaped exactly like bee-hives (not the candle- 
extinguisher type met with lower down the river) ; then 
passing very large plantations of manioc and plan- 
tains, led through another village into this one. Muni 
Somai says his men cannot start till the day after to- 
morrow, as they have to collect four days' food. The 
Major decided upon going on slowly to Nasoro bin y 
Saef s village to-morrow (as his men had plenty of 
time to get food), and to leave me to follow with Muni 
Somai and look after his loads. A few of the worst 
men made a complaint about starting, but none of the 
good ones, which makes the Major all the more anxious 
to start to-morrow. Muni Somai seems very anxious to 
get on well with us, and to make the whole thing a 
success, but he evidently has a good deal of trouble 
with the Manyemas. 

June Ibth. — The Major, Bonny, and myself all break- 
fasted together before daylight. Tents were struck, the 
men took their loads, and all went quietly off, only my 
own carriers and bags remaining with me. Just after they One rifle 
had left. Muni Somai brought me one of our rifles, and soTai;^^ 
said that one of his men had caught one of ours deserting took one 
in the night, and had tied him up, but in the morning sLkman. 
the man had gone, having left his rifle. He told me 
that after the Major had gone, Dahomey, the head man 
in charge of our goats, had passed, going back on our 
old road, and when stopped had stated that the Major 
had ordered him to go after the other man to try and 
catch him. I told Muni Somai to send men after him 
at once, and started off to the far village next Sala Sala's 
myself, offering a reward there to any man who would 
catch him. I had just returned, when the Major came 
back into camp, telling me that fourteen men with their 
loads and rifles had bolted between this and his camp, 
about four hours from here. He said they might have 
lost their road, but he thought not, and returned to his 



Two rifles 
given up 



314 STOET OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

1888. camp to see. About 4 o'clock I received a note from 

June 15. J^ , 111 

g^j^ nim, by the man who brought me some meat, saying 
Saia's eleven loads were missing, amongst them three boxes oi 
Vi lage. provisions, one double load of medicines, and two bales 
of our most valuable cloth, as well as that for present 
expenditure. He asked me to start for Sala Saia's at 
once, which I did. The meat had gone bad, so I had 
nothing to eat but a little rice, and a few biscuits to 
take with me. Got into Saia's village before dark. He 
told me he knew nothing about the loads, but had sent 
in two of our rifles (which the man Mabruki had run 
away with on our second march) to Selim Mahommed, 
so I determined to start for Yambuya at daybreak and 
get the rifles if I could not get the loads. About 10 

by Selim o'clock P.M. Salem sent me in a little rice, and a chicken 

medtome. the size 01 a sparrow. 

Ju7ie 16^A. — Started about an hour after daylight; 
reached Yambuya before 10 o'clock, although the 
swamps and paths were very bad from the rising of the 
rivers. Saw Bonny's donkey quietly grazing in the 
village where we slept the first night. Selim Mahom- 
med sent out men at once to stop all the roads to the 
Falls, and told me that though he meant to start for 
Singatini next morning, he would wait and do all he 
could to recover the loads. He had a big chief with 
him from the country due north of the Aruwimi at 
Yambuya, called Golema. The country of which he 
is chief is Oockwa, on the Welle River, the people 
being named Wackwa. He is a fine-looking native, 
dressed like an Arab, and he wishes to see and treat 
with Tippu-Tib, fearing that he means to invade his 
country; he has brought him a present of sixty-seven very 
fine tusks of ivory. It was into his country that Selim 
Mahommed went north of our camp. It is a compli- 
cated business. Mons. Van Gele, in the A. I. A., has 
been up the Mobange or Welle, and endeavoured to 
treat with his people, and Selim Mahommed's men 
attacked him from the south, overland, and he is now 
going to treat with Tippu-Tib, little dreaming that 



DIARY. 315 

Tippu and Van Gele are both officers of the same Free j^f^^g 
State. I wonder how much of the ivory the Free State g^^^ 
will get ! After a frugal meal of some rice, flavoured with Saia's 
fish, I tramped back to Sala Saia's, getting in there at ^'^^g®- 
5 o'clock, too late to start for our camp. Salem again 
gave me a sparrow, and having had no breakfast 1 went 
to bed desperately hungry, but more sorry for my dog, 
who had fared worse. No news of men or loads. 

June 17th, Sunday. — Started at daylight, and reached 
Muni Somai's camp at 8 o'clock. No news of loads. 
About an hour later the Major arrived, when we inter- 
viewed Muni Somai. Selim Mahommed had told me, 
and had written the same to Muni Somai, that if we would 
wait ^ye or six days, he would guarantee to get us back 
the loads and rifles. This decided the Major to leave 
me here with Muni Somai until Friday, as the loads are 
about the most important we possess, and to start himself 
to-morrow morning for Nasoro bin Saef s village, flve days 
from here, where he will await us. He wrote all the 
facts of the case to Tippu-Tib, and asked his aid. This 
village consists of a long double row of small pent- 
house-shaped huts ; it is called Wobari, being inhabited 
by the Wonga Wobari. Not two miles nearer Sala 
Saia's is a big village similarly shaped, of huts like bee- 
hives, and built of large dried leaves. This is Bungari; 
the people are called Wonga Bungari. The tribes 
seem to be very much mixed. In some villages the 
three distinguishing huts, viz., the candle-extinguisher 
type, as at Yambuya, beehive-shaped, as at Bungari, and 
pent-house-shaped, as at Wobari, are all found repre- 
sented. I have made sketches of both the latter villages, 
showing the diflerent huts. Just after our interview a 
perfect torrent of rain came down, and although I had 
a trench round my tent, it quickly filled with sand and 
water. 

June ISth. — Spent most of my day in cleaning rifles, 
revolvers, &c., and in copying my diary to Kassongo and 
back, in ink. I was greatly astonished, at 5 p.m., by the 
arrival of Muni Hamese, one of the Zanzibari munia- 



316 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

jl^e^is P^^^^J ^\h a note from the Major. More desertions 
Wobari ^lave taken place. Munichandi, one of the men whom 
Village, we laost trusted, has bolted with his rifle, and the fly 
of the Major's tent. A man called Rasasi has gone 
also with two rifles. Munichandi left this place with 
another man late last evening, for the Major's camp. I 
asked him before he started where he had been, and he 
said only to the next village. I thought something was 
wrong, so I sent a note to the Major telling him I ima- 
gined Munichandi had been either to Sala Sala's village 
or with the deserters. It appears that Munichandi told 
him he had been to Sala Sala's village for food. I thought 
of keeping him here last night, but the Major would have 
been short of two carriers this morning, and I felt that 
should he suspect him, after questioning him, the man 
would be safer under a guard of Soudanese on the march 
than here. This man, Munichandi, came to me during 
our first march from Yambuya, and begged to have his 
load lightened, as he wanted to be ahead with me, and 
help to stack the loads and pitch the tents. I knew he 
was a useful man, and gave him a very light load. This 
is the result. It is awful to think that the very men 
one trusts most, and is kindest to, may bolt at any 
moment, perhaps with all one's diaries, drawings, &c. 
I left Yambuya full of bright hopes, but I must say they 
have received rather a damper at the start. Muni Somai 
received a letter from SelimMahommed to-day, saying he 
had sent natives after the Zanzibaris in every direction, 
and had stopped the roads, and hoped to catch them in 
two or three days at most. 

Two rifles June l^th. — This morning Muni Somai brought a 
Munf ^ rifle and a sack with corn-flour in it. He says that last 
Somai. night oue of the deserters, called Hamadi bin Masuri, 
had tried to pass through the village next to Sala Sala's. 
When stopped, he flung down his rifle and the sack and 
bolted, getting clean away. I think they must be mis- 
taken in their man, as Hamadi was carrying a sack of 
cloth, not corn. Just as I was going to have my dinner, 
some of Muni Somai's men brought in a deserter with 



DIABT. 317 

his rifle ; they had caught him in the bush. He is an 1888. 
old man who was employed as a goat-driver, not being ^ ^ .' 
strong enough to carry a full load. I tied him up with viUage, 
the three natives, under the Soudanese, and gave the 
man who caught him twenty matakas. Muni Somai says 
he has ordered all his men to come into this village, but 
that they are not like Zanzibaris, who obey at once ; they 
are hard people to deal with. He told me he wanted 
to start the day after to-morrow, as his men were getting 
sick, and that he was going to Sala Sala's village to- 
morrow. I told him I was just as anxious to get ahead 
as he was, but that the recovery of our loads was most 
important to us. I was going to Sala Sala's myself to 
try to shoot some buiFaloes near there, but as Muni Somai 
is going I will remain in camp. He is very anxious to 
start, as four of his men in another village have got 
small-pox ; this is evidently his reason for not getting 
them together. 

June 20th. — Muni Somai left for Sala Sala's village 
after breakfast. Sadi, one of his head men, brought me 
three sacks of beads and one of cowries, which were 
damaged and required sewing. I pointed out to him 
that a quantity of beads had been taken out of one of 
the sacks, but he only said he knew nothing about it. 
A heavy storm of rain, thunder, and wind came up 
about 1 o'clock, and it rained steadily on until sunset. 
One of Muni Somai's men came in about an hour after 
dark, to say he was not coming back to-night, but would 
sleep in Sala Sala's village. He had recovered two 
rifles, a box of tea, and some matakas, also a sick man, 
but no loads. It is a nuisance, his stopping away, as I 
want to go there myself to-morrow, and mend any boxes 
or sacks that were broken in the two villages where his 
men are, as they evidently don't mean coming in until 
we start. 

June 21st. — Awoke with a bad cold, which I hope 
'vill go ofl" before we start, as on the road one is wet all 
day long. Muni Somai did not arrive until after 5 
o'clock, which prevented my going to the other villages. 



318 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

1888. He seemed very worried and tired. He told me that last 
^^ . night natives had come in to Sala Sala's village, reporting 
Village, that some of the deserters were camped in a village 
some distance from the river to the south. Muni 
Somai and Sala Sala then started for the village with 
some of their men, taking the natives as guides. Upon 
their approach one of the Zanzibaris jumped up out of 
the path and ran into the village shouting, " The white 
man is coming." Muni Somai and his men ran in, 
when one of the deserters fired a shot at him ; they all 
bolted, not one being caught or shot. They left six 
rifles, a bottle of salt, a lot of cloth, cartridge-belts, &c. 
Altogether Muni Somai handed over to me : 8 rifles, 10 
pieces of cloth, 2 tins milk, 1 tin cocoa (broken), 1 
bottle salt, 1 lot broken candles, 1 box tea open (box 
had been used for cooking), 86 matakas, 1 cartridge- 
pouch, 1 packet cartridges, 2 cartridge-belts, 1 bar soap. 
No loads were recovered. From what we found it is 
evident that they have broken open and are using the 
provision boxes and cloth, but so far no signs of the 
medicine-chest. The natives tell Muni Somai that some 
of them belonging to another village have caught and 
eaten three of the deserters. He promised me to get 
all his men in to-morrow, and to start on Saturday. Six 
or seven of them now have the small-pox. I saw one 
man with it here in the camp to-day. Sala Sala told 
Muni Somai that he feared Tippu-Tib too much either to 
hide the men or take the loads. I wish I had another 
oflicer with me, so that I could leave him here and go 
and have a hunt for them myself. From the evidence 
of a small skin pouch found in the deserters' camp, my 
men say that Mabruki, the deserter from Stanley, was 
one of them. 

June 22nd. — Another capture was made to-day, and 
by one of my own men. He was out in the direction 
of the Major's first camp, where, I believe, there is 
plenty of manioc, and he saw a man trying to run away; 
shouting out that he would fire, he went up to him and 
found it was Hasasi, with two rifles. He was one of 
the men who bolted the day Major Barttelot left this 



DIARY. 319 

camp. I have put him in chains. I complained to i^^s. 
Muni Somai to-day about one of the sacks of beads being ^^, . 
short in weight. He called up Sadi, the muniapara, and Village, 
made him produce the sack. It was distinctly short, 
but Sadi said he did not know where they could have 
been taken, nor who carried the sack. Muni Somai pro- 
mises faithfully to have every man and load at the 
Major's first camp from here by to-morrow. Some of 
his men have been fighting with some of Tippu's people 
in another village, and one of the latter came in to-day 
to complain, with a scratch upon his stomach where he 
said he had been shot. No sign of loads. I handed 
over 16 rifles (13 good and 3 bad) to Muni Somai to- 
day, to convey as far as Nasoro bin Saef's village. He 
asked me if I handed them over to him for the use of 
his men, and I said No, only to be taken to the next 
village, where, I had no doubt. Major Barttelot would 
give them to his men as he had promised. I also gave 
him 110 matakas, the reward for each rifle recovered 
being ten matakas. (Eleven of them were taken by his 
men.) I also gave Suedi, my man, twenty matakas for 
the two rifles captured with Rasasi. D. V. and the 
Manyemas, we will make a fresh start to-morrow. What 
a chapter might be written on the starts and delays ever 
since we have been in Yambuya Camp ! Muni Somai 
told me to-day that the Manyemas were not men, but 
simply " meat like beasts," for, said he, " How can they 
be men and yet love to eat men as they do ? If there 
were two goats and one man offered them to choose 
from for food, they would take the man ; all they think 
of now is what a lot of natives they will eat further on." 
He added, " The first lot of natives that they fight, they 
will eat as many as they can, and when their stomachs 
are full will then catch others to carry their loads." 
He told me late last night that the man he had sent 
after the Major as guide bolted, leaving his load in the 
Major's camp. This morning he had the man in chains. 

June 23rd. — Just as I expected, wars and rumours 
of wars about the stacking of the loads. I went on 
ahead on purpose to see them properly stacked, and 



320 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 

,^^^?:„ succeeded in ffettinff four of the muniaparas to leave 
Native ^AGirs lu the caiup and stack them. JNgombe s men 
Village, quietly went on, refusing to stop, and camped, I believe, 
a long way ahead. Muni Somai's people took all his 
loads over to his tent across the river. It has been 
simply impossible to take a correct tally of them. 
When Muni Somai came up he made a great row about it, 
but all to no purpose, for although he promised me that 
the loads that had gone ahead should be returned, they 
never appeared. The men travelled remarkably well; 
we could very easily have gone double the distance. 

June 24:th^ Sunday. — Had rather a serious row with 
the muniaparas to-day, but one which I think has 
cleared the atmosphere generally, more especially as 
regards the loads being all in one place at night. Rain 
came down heavily before daylight, and we did not get 
away until about 7 o'clock. Muni Somai had promised 
me that all the loads should be stopped at the Major's 
next camp, and asked me especially to be ahead to see 
that it was all right. I was rather astonished to find 
that Ngombe's camp (the muniapara who went ahead 
last night) was over two miles ahead of ours, and it 
took me all my time to get through his men before we 
reached the camp ; but I got in about a quarter of an 
hour before them. They ilatly refused to stop, and 
then there was war until the arrival of Muni Somai, 
more than an hour afterwards. I made Ngombe stay 
there until he arrived, although his loads had gone 
ahead, and I trust now there is a thorough understand- 
ing between all of us. I must say for Ngomb^ that he 
had capital shelters made for his loads last night, and 
his argument is a good one, viz., that whilst the men 
are strong, the road good, and all in the shade, with 
very little food, our marches ought to be longer. Just 
now the men are quite fit to do longer marches, and 
none of us know how far we have to go without food, 
for we have no guide. I went out to try and shoot a 
monkey for my poor dog, who is starving, but could 
not get one. I was greatly astonished, on going down 



DIARY. 321 

the small river at the back of the camp, to come upon t^^^^A4 
another road leading to another camp due E. of this onthe' 
one, and evidently one of the Major's. The road was march, 
freshly blazed, but, as far as I could see, by only one 
party. I then went ahead on the road we are now 
taking, and found it also freshly blazed, but blazed by 
many people at different dates. There is a very old 
blazing on it, nearly overgrown, of four regular cuts, 
equidistant, which I cannot believe to have been done 
by Arabs, but think it must be Stanley's. At present 
we are a long way to the south of our right course, and 
must some day make a lot of way north, to get into it 
again. 

I found a very beautiful flowering tree to-day; the 
flower I could have believed to be that of an orchid, 
but I shot down a branch and satisfied myself that it 
was not ; took it into camp and drew it. I am in great 
trouble about the bales of Zanzibar cloth. The matting 
on the outside is all tearing, and no sewing will hold it 
together. The road lies through a beautiful open 
forest, with every few miles a clear stream, and very 
little swamp. This is my second day on nothing but a 
cup of boiled rice and roast plantains. I am afraid my 
plantains will give out to-morrow. A row with these 
Arabs is exactly like taking a pot of boiling water off 
and on a fire. 

June 2bth* — To-day is one long story of disaster. 
We started off at daylight [from camp marked ++] 
along the road well blazed, on which Ngombe had camped. 
He promised yesterday not to let his men start before I 
came up, but on my arrival I found they had all gone 
on at daybreak, and were well ahead, on what I at once 
saw was the wrong road altogether. The road to his 
camp [marked + + +] lay too much to the south, and, 
beyond his camp, turned due south. I went on ahead 
at a run, but what was my astonishment, after going 
over a mile, to come upon another camp [marked • 

* Explanatory remarks in brackets inserted by Editor. — Ed. 

T 



322 



STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 



1888. 
June 26. 

On the 
march. 



+ + + +]? which one of his head men had qnietly 
made on his own account! Here, thank Heaven, 1 
found all the men stuck. There was a perfect babel 
of voices, but I elicited that yesterday some of the men 
belonging to this muniapara had gone ahead on this 
road, and had met ^yq of Tippu-Tib's people and two 

N. 




f .-•■'" "'"'**, 

••^ • II.. 



a 






+ Oamp of Major Barttelot to the N. of our camp of last night 
++ Our camp last night. 
-I- + -I- Ngombe's do. 
4--I- + 4- His muniapara's do. 
-f- + + + + Our present camp. 
± JL J. J. J. i. Our road yesterday. 

— Do. to-day. 

Illlllllillllllfllllil Major Barttelot's road. 

—.,> ^ — Eoad taken by me to-day to look for right dne. 

00000000000000000 Road by which we finally left no man's camp. 

Distance +++to4- + + +a little over a mile. 



natives. The latter they tried to catch to serve as guides, 
but the Tamba-Tambas interfered, and stated that they 
were Tippu's people, and were coming from the village 
where two white men and a number of Wangwana 
had arrived, and that, being afraid of them, they were 



DIARY. 323 

returning to Tippu. Upon our men's inquiry as to which ^^^^ 
road led to the village they had left, they pointed back q^ ^^^ 
to that by which they had just come. I now saw that march, 
if it turned out to be a good road, it would be shorter 
to take it than to go all the way back to the Major's 
other camp [marked +], which I knew to be on the right 
road. I took one of the men who had spoken to the 
Tamba-Tambas and went ahead ; the road lay N.E., 
which was right, but I presently came to nothing but a 
mere track, which it was quite impossible for the 
carriers to follow. I then stopped every one, and 
waited until Muni Somai came up. We decided to 
camp, and look out for the road. After making camp 
[marked + + + + +]! settled to go due north and strike 
either the Major's road or our own further back. After 
going through the most awful bush for about an hour, 
straight as a line, without a path, I struck across our 
own road, followed it to our camp [marked ++] of 
last night, went to the next camp [marked +]? followed 
the Major's road out of it for a long way, saw that it 
was undoubtedly the right one, and then struck back 
across to our own road by a path that was blazed, and 
which we could easily have seen had Ngombe's people 
not gone ahead yesterday. 

On my return to camp I told Muni Somai what I had 
done, and he agreed to go back and camp on the Major's 
road to-morrow. I discovered afterwards that thirty of 
his men had gone out to look for the road, and they 
have not yet returned. Now comes the worst part of the 
story. As I was just starting this morning. Muni Somai 
brought me one of the sacks of cloth, and showed me 
that it had been opened and some taken out, though not 
much. I had it carefully tied up, as the sewing things 
were all packed away, and told him specially to look 
after it, and give it to me at our next camp. He could 
give me no explanation about it at all, but that the 
cloth had been taken during the night. The Soudanese 
were flatly accused of the theft by the Manyemas, 
although for no reason. I did not pretend to suspect 
them at all, but when well started stopped them and 



^24 STOBY OF THE REAB COLUMN. 

1888. searched all their bundles, loads, and persons, also the 
On the l^^^s of the deserters and natives in their charge, but 
march, fouud uo trace of the cloth. When Sadi brought me 
the sack at this camp, I saw that more had been taken 
out of it. Upon my return to camp, a few minutes 
before this, I found that not more than half of the loads 
were stacked together, although I had seen wood cut, 
and started them at it before I left to hunt for the road. 
I now sent for Muni Somai and asked him why there 
were no people looking after the loads, and why they 
were not all there. I could get no satisfactory reply 
out of him about anything, and so I told him that since 
he would not get in the loads together that I might 
check them, and declined to put guards over them, 
maintaining, at the same time, that he was looking 
after them every day himself, I would take no further 
responsibility about them until we saw Major Barttelot, 
when he would have to answer for every load to him. 
I also informed him that his people need no longer 
accuse mine of stealing from the loads, for since I gave 
Sadi the sack of cloth this morning more had been 
stolen out of it. He then called Sadi, and there was 
great war, but no satisfaction. I am more sick of the 
whole business to-night than I have been since we 
started. 

June 26th. — It began to rain heavily before daylight, 
and did not stop until about 11 o'clock. Muni Somai 
came to me this morning, and asked me whether I had 
noticed how Sadi had come when called to speak to 
him yesterday about the cloth. I told him I did not 
understand the question. He said, " Did you not see 
that he had a revolver in his hand and a big knife with 
him 1 " I told him I had noticed it. " These are the 
men," said he, " that I have to deal with ; they are only 
meat, like beasts, not men. There are three of us here 
from Zanzibar, myself and those two men " (here he 
called up two of the other head men) ; " you must rely 
on us." He added that he and these two always 
camped together, and that were he to hit Sadi, or 



DIARY. 325 

Ngombe, or any of the other head men, there would j^^^^oa 
be war at once, and this he wished to avoid — not that q^ ^^^ 
he was afraid of them, for his guns and men were march, 
better than theirs, but what would Tippu-Tib say if a 
lot of men were shot and our loads left on the road 1 
He assured me that the loads were all right and well 
looked after. At 2 o'clock the thirty men returned, 
having found the Major's road and followed it to a 
deserted village. They have discovered a path on which 
the loads can be taken, so we will go that way, as it is 
a shorter one to return. I had a great day among the 
cloth bales and sacks, tying and sewing with camba as 
best I could. 

June 21th. — Eeached Nasoro bin Saef's village quite 
unexpectedly after a long march of eight hours, cover- 
ing about twelve miles. Had my advice been followed, 
and our old road been returned to, the men would have 
done it in much less time ; but Muni Somai warned me 
that there would be a mutiny if he tried to make the 
men go back. We struck Major Barttelot's road within 
twenty yards of where I had marked it the day before 
yesterday, and spent four hours wading through swamp 
and cane-brake. They were rather astonished to find 
my marks on the road ahead, as they none of them 
believed I had found the right one. Two men actually 
died to-day beside their loads. It is a nasty thing 
suddenly to bump up against a man covered with small- 
pox, as I did several times to-day. The men who died 
had not got that disease. It is astonishing to see a man 
covered from head to foot with the sores of small-pox 
carrying a load. On arrival at this village, I was sur- 
prised to hear from one of the Zanzibaris, and some 
Soudanese who had come over from the Major's camp 
about three hours from here, that he had left for Stanley 
Falls four days ago, and had missed us on the road. 
Two more men and two of his boys have run away, one 
of them with his revolver. I am sorry to have missed 
him on the road, as I don't suppose he can possibly get 
back before another ten days at earliest. I wiU go over 



326 STOBT OF THE REAR COLUMN, 

jun?27 ^^ ^^^ other camp to-morrow, which lies E. of this, and 

On the ^^^ Bonny, and I have advised Muni Somai to camp here 

march, with his men, as I hear the men from the other camp 

have to come here for food. I will remain with Muni 

Somai until the Major's return, as there is always a 

chance of trouble in this camp. 

June 2Sth. — Walked over to Ujele, to the Major's 
camp. Three hours' fast walking, distance about ten 
miles. The road is on the whole good, save where it 
lies through old manioc plantations. Passed two very 
large native villages and several smaller ones. Found 
Bonny rather seedy. Barttelot left for Singatini on the 
24th inst., with 14 Zanzibaris and 3 Soudanese, leaving 
Bonny in charge of camp until my arrival, when I was 
to take command, and proceed with our whole force to 
Abdullah Karongo's camp atUnaria*. Bonny says that 
-^ve Manyema people from the village Mampuya came 
in yesterday, and he succeeded in buying from them 
a man as carrier and guide. This village is a day and a 
half from Benny's present camp, but the men say it can 
be done m a day. There are eighteen or twenty loads 
now without carriers, and all the rifles and ammunition 
have been taken away from the Zanzibaris, in conse- 
quence of which the Major has left orders for me to obtain 
men from Muni Somai to carry these loads, and act as 
escort to the Zanzibaris, their rifles being carried as loads. 
One case of small-pox at Benny's camp. Upon my 
return to this camp, I told Muni Somai that I wished 
him to proceed to Benny's camp to-morrow, and that 
the Major had left me in command, with orders to 
proceed to Abdullah's camp. Having called together 
and consulted his head men, he told me that though 
they were all most anxious to get on to Abdullah's 
camp, they begged to be allowed to wait one day longer, 

* According to Mr. Bonny's statement, he was left in command over 
Jameson, under orders dated April 22nd. The orders referred to by 
Jameson above are those of June 23rd (vide Log of the Eear Column, 
June 24th, 1888 ; ' Darkest Africa,' vol. i. p. 506), curiously not men- 
tioned by Mr. Bonny in his official report to Mr. Stanley; vide ' Darkest 
Africa,' vol. i. p. 491.— Ed. 



niABY. 327 

as so many of the men were weak, and one day's rest ,^^^a« 
and good food would make all the difference to them, q^^^ 
(Handed over to Bonny : — 2 tins milk, 1 tin cocoa mannb. 
(condensed), 1 bottle salt, 2 tins tea, 1 bar soap, 1 
sack 10 pieces of cloth, 95 cartridges in 2 belts. All 
recovered fi:om deserters' loads.) Knowing the weak 
state of the men, as illustrated by the two who died on 
the road yesterday, I granted the extra day. He can- 
not possibly give me the twenty men in order to move 
all the loads from Bonny's camp at once, so I propose to 
move on all the Zanzibaris and a number of his men 
always two days ahead, enough men returning each 
time to carry on the extra loads. In this way an extra 
chance is secured to our men of getting the pick of the 
food on the road, wherever it is scarce. Abdullah's 
camp is said to be six days' march from Ujele, with 
only one break of two days without food on the road. 

Muni Somai reports one load of ammunition lost yester- 
day. The Major has proceeded to Stanley Falls for the 
purpose of obtaining more men fi:om Tippu-Tib *, as well 
as to try to recover some of the lost loads and rifles ; 
he expected to be absent twenty-six days. The majority 
of the huts in these villages are of the extinguisher 
type, but the beehive-shape appears too, as do the pent- 
house and round huts found below Yambuya. Some of 
them are beautifully constructed, with hard floors of 
baked clay, and are kept exceptionally clean. I had a 
narrow escape of being bitten by a snake to-day. I was 
walking along fast, bare-legged, and I stepped right 
over one which was crossing the path. 

June 29th. — Began the day by a regular inspection 
of every load carried by the people supplied by Tippu- 
Tib. Took the names of all the muniaparas, and made a 
list of the loads carried by each. In consequence of the 
discovery that of the thirteen sacks carried by the muni- 
apara Sadi, containing beads, cowries, and rice, several 
were short of weight, I handed them over to Muni 
Somai, taking from him in their place thirteen loads 

* See Appendix VIII. 



328 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN, 

June^*9 ^^ ammunition, principally Winchester. Wrote out a 
On the* ^^^ report of inspection for the Major. Completed 
march, map of road to this village : then came trouble. I 
asked Muni Somai if he was ready to start for the other 
camp to-morrow morning. He told me that all the 
head men had been to speak with him, and told him 
that their men were still weak. I replied that at 
the next camp all the weak men could have a rest. 
He declared himself and Kapranga ready and willing 
to go, but that the others now said they had put manioc 
into the water, and wanted another day for it to soak. 
I said I would take no excuse about food, as they had 
already been here two days, and were going to a camp 
where they would find plenty of food, and that I could 
not leave Bonny's camp another day without a sufficient 
armed force, as all the rifles had been taken away from 
the Zanzibaris. He announced his intention of calling 
together all his head men, after prayers, to consult with 
them. The result was a message to say they were still 
unwilling to go. I then went up to see him, and gave 
him my positive orders that he and all his head men 
should proceed to-morrow morning to Bonny's camp 
vdth all the loads. I told him I should go, whatever 
happened, and that whoever did not do so would be 
positively disobeying orders, and that a direct report of 
the same would be made to Tippu-Tib. I believe he 
and Kapranga will be the only men who will obey, and 
in this case I will try and get a letter conveyed to the 
Major. I told Muni Somai that were I to allow them 
to remain longer here I should be disobeying Barttelot's 
direct orders to me, and that if this sort of thing took 
place at every pleasant village they came to, the Expe- 
dition might as well be at an end. This row was bound 
to take place sooner or later; I am only sorry it has 
occurred during Barttelot's absence. 

June Z^th. — Struck my tent at daylight. Muni Somai 
told me his head men still refuse to come on, and will 
not start until the day after to-morrow, when their 
manioc will be dried. I said my orders remained the 



DIARY, 329 

same. He said he and Kapranga would follow me. ^®^^- 
On my arrival at Ujele, took over command from Bonny. ^.^^^ 
Found everything quiet; no more desertions. One 
Zanzibari had died yesterday. Muni Somai, Kapranga, 
and Sadi arrived some time afterwards with their men 
and loads, about 130 in all. I told Muni Somai, almost 
immediately after his arrival, that Mr. Bonny would 
start for Mampuya to-morrow morning, leaving the twenty 
loads, for which men would return here, where I should 
remain with him (Muni Somai), and that I required an 
escort of his men, as I had before told him, to go with 
Bonny to Mampuya, and return from thence with the 
men for the loads. He then informed me that every 
man they had brought had returned to Nasoro bin Saef s 
village for food, but that he would tell me later on if 
he could get them. In the evening he said the men 
would not return until to-morrow, at what time he did 
not know. I asked him when he would ever be 
able to obey my orders, to which he replied that the 
Wacusu and Manyemas were very hard to deal with, and 
would not leave the village until it pleased them. I 
informed him that the sooner Tippu-Tib knew that his 
men would not obey him the better, and that as he will 
not send the men with Bonny, I would accompany him 
myself, and return with the men for the loads left behind, 
leaving him (Muni Somai) in charge of the said loads. 
I cannot myself leave for Stanley Falls, nor can I send 
any of our men, but I shall try to get a letter conveyed 
to Barttelot from Mampuya, and in any case I will try 
to get the whole force on as far as Abdullah Karongo's. 
I can now see that Muni Somai is utterly useless as a 
commander, although himself willing. 

July l5^, Sunday. — Got away about 7 o'clock, and 
marched until 11 o'clock. Eoad lay nearly due N. all 
the way, and a very bad one, through old plantations 
full of fallen timber. Passed over three rivers. Latter 
part of road lay through a long string of villages, all 
lying close together, and due N. and S. The country 
must have been very thickly inhabited, although now 



330 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

^^\ many of the villages are deserted, and in several cases 
On the* burnt by the Tamba-Tambas. The majority of the huts 
march, are still of the extinguisher type. Men marched well 
and willingly. No deserters. In the evening three of 
Barttelot's slaves escaped from the Soudanese soldiers 
in charge of them. Search party sent out under Omaha 
had not returned at dark. 

July 2nd. — Started at 7 o'clock, and marched until 
12 A.M., reaching a village called Mquangandy, belong- 
ing to the Waburu tribe. This part of the country is 
inhabited by three tribes — the Waburu, Wamanga, and 
Wabunga. The road for the first mile lay through 
six villages, which, with the four passed yesterday, 
make ten all close together, lying due N. and S. After 
these the road became very bad, running through swampy 
forest and old plantations. The most important of the 
villages is called Mpunga, and further on, about a mile 
firom this, we passed through a very pretty group of 
villages called Lixari. Each village is situated on the 
summit of a small hill, and consists of about six or 
seven huts, all dotted about in the clearings close 
together. Met Tamba-Tambas belonging to Tippu- 
Tib, who say that the Aruwimi is three hours' distant 
to the N.W. Unaria, Abdullah Karongo's camp, is 
distant only one day's march without loads, but three 
with them. Stanley's blazing on his road beyond 
Unaria is still quite visible. They have promised to 
convey a letter to Stanley Falls, the Congo being only 
four days distant. They strike it at Atiacusu. The 
search party failed to find the three women who escaped 
yesterday. We marched a little over eight miles to-day. 
I saw a conical hut, raised five feet off" the ground, with 
a ladder attached to it, at Mpunga, also telegraph from 
road to village to tell of any one's approach at night. 

July 3rd. — Sat up last night, writing to Tippu-Tib and 
the Major. One of Tippu's people has promised to call 
for my letters this morning, and take them to Singatini as 
quicldy as possible. Started at 7a.m. for Ujele, with seven 
Zanzibaris, thirteen slaves, and guard of one sergeant and 



DIARY. 331 

five Soudanese, to bring up the extra loads. Eeached j^^y 3 
our first camp from Ujele about 10 a.m., and got in there ^jeie. 
about 1 P.M. Muni Somai greeted me with the fact 
that letters had come for him and for myself, stating 
that the whole force was to return to Singatini. This 
rather took my breath away, and it was with anxious 
hands that 1 opened the two letters which Muni Hamese 
had brought to me from Major Barttelot. The first one 
I opened contained orders to proceed with the whole 
force with all possible despatch to Unaria, where Bart- 
telot would join us about the 14th of July. I hastened 
to open the other one, but it only contained the same 
orders, and upon asking Muni Somai whence he had 
received the other orders, he told me he had had a 
letter from Sala Sala by the same messenger, stating 
that Major Barttelot had arrived at his village, and had 
written to me to say that the whole force was to return 
to Singatini. I then told Muni Somai that the orders 
remained the same, and he promised that all his men 
should leave for my camp on the following day. He 
says there are many cases of small-pox, and other sick- 
ness (about sixty in all), and that seven of his men have 
run away. Sala Sala told him that a large new steamer 
had arrived at Yambuya Camp after the departure of 
Selim Mahommed and everyone else, and had planted 
a flag there. Major Barttelot's boy Sadi, with his 
revolver, came to his camp at Wobari, and gave himself 
up, the others having run away from him. The Major's 
letters were dated June 25th. 

July 4cth. — ^Told Muni Somai that my last orders to 
him were to get the whole force together, and push on 
to my camp with all possible despatch. It began to 
rain before leaving, and came down in torrents when 
we had gone a short distance. I pushed on, however, 
and we reached Mpunga at 12 a.m., when it cleared up. 
The natives carried the double loads remarkably well. 

July bth. — Paid for my wetting yesterday with a 
fearful dose of rheumatism in my back ; had not a wink 
of sleep, but started and walked it off. Reached 



332 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 

Juiy^5 Mquangandy about 12 a.m. ; the swamps are iu a fearful 

Mquan- ^tate after the rain. Bonny reports all quiet during my 

gandy- absence. Another Zanzibari dead. Bonny had not 

been able to buy any carriers, as they only brought in 

two small boys, for whom they wanted a gun, and two 

girls, for a gun each. 

July 6th. — Started Bonny off to the next village, 
with all the loads he could possibly carry, with orders 
to send back enough men under Soudanese escort to 
bring up the extra loads with myself to-morrow. No 
signs of Muni Somai ! 

July 7th. — Started soon after daylight and reached 
Lipula, where Bonny is encamped, about 11 a.m. 
It is not more than five miles, but the road is very 
bad. Found one of the Zanzibaris had fallen behind 
yesterday, and opened our chop box, smashing it with 
a heavy stick. He was caught red-handed by Faragi, 
who was sent back for him. One tin of milk and one 
of corned beef were missing, three other tins being 
opened. We gave him 100 lashes and put him in 
chains. Dr. Parke's box fell yesterday, and was 
smashed beyond all repair. Made a list of the con- 
tents, and discarded a lot of 12-bore bullets, cartridge 
cases, &c., as we are very short of carriers, packing 
what remained in Nelson's and Stairs' bags. Shortly 
after my arrival, I he^rd that Muni Somai had come up 
to the camp. I left this morning, so I sent back Muni 
Hamese and tAvo Soudanese soldiers to tell him to come 
on here to-morrow. Am sending on Bonny and all his 
men to Unaria to-morrow, which is four easy marches 
from here, with food to be had all the way. I shall 
wait here till he sends back men for the extra loads. 
There is a great deal of small-pox amongst Muni Somai's 
men, and I wish to avoid the chance of its breaking 
out amongst ours as far as possible. 

July Sth, Sunday. — Bonny left for Unaria. Muni 
Somai and his men arrived about two hours later. There 



DIARY. 333 

was a grand row here shortly after theh* arrival. Muni }^?\ 
Somai was sitting drinking coffee with me in the shade ^^ ^^^^ 
at the back of my tent, and several of the head men % 

were standing round. Muni Somai was telling me that 
a good many of the people had lost the road to-day, and 
I asked him how that was when it was so well blazed. 
One of the head men called Kimputa exclaimed, " Oh, 
if people will walk mth their noses on the ground, and 
not look at the trees, they must get lost." Ngombe, 
another head man, most of whose men were those that 
were lost, took this as a personal insult, and said some- 
thing rather nasty, for Kimputa retorted, " You sit still 
for months at Kassongo, eating manioc and getting 
fat, whilst I am on the road ! No wonder you know 
nothing about it ! " Then words rose very high, their 
followers rushed up with guns, and a grand scene 
ensued. Men with guns, trying to cock them, were 
rolled over by men without guns, while others with logs 
of wood and huge poles sailed in too. There were 
broken heads and scars innumerable, and at one time it 
looked serious, and I had thoughts of finding some- 
thing myself, not a stick ; but I sat still, and it gradu- 
ally developed into a strife of words, and more allies 
interfered to separate the aggrieved parties. Muni 
Somai reports a good many deaths from small-pox. 

July 9th. — A day of disaster. Last night, just as I 
had turned in, nearly every man in camp began to fire 
off his gun, as if at a given signal. Several of the shots 
were fired at the very side of my tent. I jumped out 
of bed, got my Winchester, sent for Muni Somai, and 
told him, before all the men, that I would shoot the 
very first man who fired another shot near my tent. 
He said, " Beat them with a stick ; " but I said, " No, 
you can do that. I will shoot. Let a man fire, and 
you will see." There was perfect peace for the rest of 
the night. I told Muni Somai that, had I men enough 
to carry them, I would take all the rifles, and that I 
should strongly advise the Major to take them from his 



334 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMB, 

Juiy\ roieii, and give them to the men he got from Tippu- 
Lipuia. Tib. Not a shot has been fired in this camp to-night. 
About 12.30 A.M. some of Bonny's men came into camp 
to get plantains, and told me that he had lost the road, 
and was camped not far from here. I waited until 
3 o'clock, but got no message or note from him, so I 
sent a man with a letter telling him to remain where he 
was until he heard again from me, and in the meantime 
I would try to procure a guide. I started oif and 
walked to Mampuya, but found that all the natives and 
Tippu-Tib's people had run away, and I don't wonder 
at it, after the fusillade of last night. Returned to 
camp, and as there was still no note from Bonny, I 
started off to his camp. Half-way there, met my 
messenger returning with a note from him. Went on 
to him. He says that yesterday the guides, two of 
Tippu-Tib's people, took him all wrong, and then 
ran away. He then went too much to the north, and 
sighted the Aruwimi. Went out with him along the 
road he had blazed this morning, and found a path 
which he had missed, going to the eastward and well 
blazed. Returned to his camp, had a cup of tea, and 
told him not to start until I arrived in the morning. 
Came back here, and got in at dark, thoroughly beat. 
Told Muni Somai that I would go with Bonny in the 
morning, taking only one carrier with me, and leaving 
my boys, two Zanzibaris, and two Soudanese here, and 
that he must remain until my return. All loads left 
behind will be placed in his tent. Bonny reports one 
of the goats lost, which is very serious, for we cannot 
get meat of any kind. 

Muni Somai told me to-night that he owns a village 
north of Riba-Riba, on the other side of the Congo. 
It takes two months, going north, to get to it. The 
country is open, as at Kassongo, but there are large 
mountains there. Four rivers, he says, arise from one 
of them : two called Linde, one Lela, and I could not 
catch the name of the fourth. He says no white man 
has been in that country. 



DIARY. 335 

July l^fli. — Joined Bonny. Went on a road which y^^^^ 
1 afterwards found to be the one he had followed the ^^ ^^^ 
day before. General direction S.E. Muni Hamela and march. 
a lot of men turned up from Unaria. He told me he 
had brought the caps from Tippu-Tib to Unaria, and 
as we were so long in arriving he had come to meet us. 
He handed over to me the three deserters from Mr. 
Stanley, who have been so long at Unaria, and they all 
swear that they did not desert, but were left sick on the 
road, and that Mr. Stanley's books will show this to be 
the case. I made them guide us on to the right road. 
They took us straight along the road Bonny had taken 
the day before yesterday, and he camped to-day in the 
very village, close to the Aruwimi, where he camped 
the day before yesterday, and from which point he had 
turned straight back. I placed the three men be- 
longing to Stanley in the charge of the Soudanese, and 
left Abdullah Karongo's brother-in-law with Bonny, so 
he has enough guides now. He told me of a much 
shorter way back to camp which he had blazed, and 
sent Faragi to show it to me. It turned out to be 
twice as long as the way we had come. 

When I returned here. Muni Hamela (who I find is 
really the head man at Unaria, and not Abdullah 
Karongo) handed over to me 40,000 Enfield caps, from 
Tippu-Tib, for which we owe him £48. I gave him a 
receipt for the caps, and another for the three men. 
Although I told Muni Somai that there could now be 
no difiiculty about the road, and that he must therefore 
send on all his people to Unaria, he now tells me 
that he cannot tell till to-morrow when he will be able 
to start them. He is simply utterly useless. Muni 
Hamela gave me a letter from Mr. Greshofi", of the 
Dutch house, who had arrived at Singatini, saying he 
had not received the boxes I had sent him. 

July nth. — It rained heavily, a miserable day. 
Muni Somai busy Avriting to Tippu-Tib. I warned 
him, upon his stating that his men could not start 



336 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 

juiTn ^^^^ ^^^ ^^y ^ft^r to-morrow, that he must not think 
On the ^^ would havG to Wait long at Unaria, for he had 
march, wasted all the time on the road, and Major Barttelot 

would certainly expect us to be ready to start when he 

arrived. 

July 12th. — Told Muni Somai he must be ready to 
start for Unaria to-morrow. He made another excuse, 
saying they did not like to leave the white man behind. 
I said that was my business, not his. He asked me to 
give out some caps to the men, as they wished to catch 
natives at Unaria. I told him I could not possibly do 
so unless the Major ordered it. 

July 13th. — Muni Somai, with all his people and 
loads, started for Unaria. He has left a good many 
sick, who are going on slowly. Some in this village 
who have small-pox will, I am afraid, die, they are such 
bad cases. I am in hopes that Barttelot will turn up 
with enough men to carry the extra loads, before the 
return of the men from Unaria. The stench round this 
camp is something frightful, and I have not enough 
men to remove the loads to another village. 

July 14:fh. — Sent two men to Mampuya to bring 
in Tippu-Tib's people. They arrived in about an 
hour and a half. They have heard nothing of Major 
Barttelot. Eained heavily. 

July 16th, Sunday. — Another wretched day of waiting 
at this camp. No signs of either Barttelot or the men 
from Unaria. The smell after the rain, with a hot sun, 
is something horrible. 

July 16th. — Tippu-Tib's men from Mampuya came 
into camp to-day, bringing with them a quantity of 
plantains, a pleasant addition to plain boiled rice and 
mouldy biscuit. They had with them some natives 
of the Babura tribe, one of whom I sketched. His face 
is very typical of the natives in these parts. I gave a 



DIABY, 337 

lot of plantains to the sick. The natives are quite -.^^^^ 
friendly to the white man, but had any of Muni q^^^^q 
Somai's people been here they would not have come march. 
near the camp. The huts of the Babura tribe are 
cylinder-shaped, with a domed roof; this village con- 
sists entirely of their huts. 

July 17th. — One of the messengers who took my 
letter to Tippu-Tib came here, and told me that Tippu- 
Tib had given Major Barttelot four chains to put on 
any of the head men who refused to obey him. He says 
the Major has gone by a short route to Unaria and 
ought to be there by to-day, that he had no fresh men 
with him, but had recovered several deserters. The 
men from Unaria have not yet arrived, and are now two 
days overdue. 

July ISth. — Thank God, the men arrived this after- 
noon. Told them to get as much food as they could. 
Received a letter from Bonny. He states that he 
arrived at Unaria on the 15th, having taken five days 
fiom his camp on the river (beyond this) to get there. 
He says that there are three days without food in the 
forest, and reports two desertions. 

July 19th. — Started at 7 o'clock, and marched to 
Benny's first camp, near the banks of the Aruwimi 
River, where I stopped to let the men gather manioc. 
One of my men brought in two beautiful longicorn 
beetles, which I drew and coloured. Muni Somai's 
men have burnt nearly every village, which is a great 
shame, as the natives have done nothing to them. 

July 20th. — Our road lay right along the bank beside 
the river, and through a long line of deserted villages, 
all burnt a long time ago. The natives have all crossed 
to the other side of the river and built there. Opposite 
the camp is a long series of rapids. Our road now is 
the one taken by Mr. Stanley a year ago, and the 
blazing on the trees is still quite distinct. 



od8 STORY OF THE BEAR QOLVMN. 



1888. 
July 21. 

On the 
march. 



July 2\d. — Poor Major Barttelot was shot dead by 
one of the Manyemas early on the morning of the 19th 
instant. Such is the news I have received from Bonny 
to-day. It was a case of deliberate murder, as far as I 
can judge from the scant knowledge his messengers 
have of any details. Bonny's note is shorter than a 
telegram ought to have been, merely stating the fact that 
he was shot, and that all the Manyemas, Muni Somai, and 
Abdullah Karongo have left, also that he has written to 
Tippu-Tib. As far as I can learn from the messenger, 
early on the morning of the 19th, before daylight, some 
of the Manyemas were making a great noise, beating on 
their drums. Major Barttelot sent his boy Sudi to tell 
them to be quiet, as he could not sleep. They still 
kept on beating the drums, and fired a couple of shots. 
He then went down to stop this himself, and all that the 
men know is that he was shot stone dead, through the 
breast, the bullet passing out and grazing another man's 
face. It is a fearfully sad piece of news to me, for ever 
since we were left alone together at Yambuya Camp, 
more than a year ago, there has been the closest friend- 
ship between us, never so much as a single quarrel. 
In all difficulties we went to one another for advice, 
and many a happy picture did we draw of times at 
home together after all this unlucky Expedition was 
over. He was a straightforward, honest English 
gentleman; his only fault, being a little too quick- 
tempered. He loved plain, straightforward dealing far 
too much ever to get on well with the Arabs. He 
hated their crafty, roundabout way of doing everything, 
and showed it to them, and, of course, was disliked in 
turn. He was far too good a man to lose his life in a 
miserable way like this, and God knows what I shall 
do without him. 

I am going right through to Unaria to-morrow, leaving 
the loads to come on in charge of Muni Hamese C?), 
our head muniapara, and Sergeant Paquit, with eight of 
the Soudanese. Our whole march to-day was done in 
pouring rain, and it is raining still, 8 p.m. 



July 22 
Unaria. 



DIARY, 339 

July 22nd. Sunday. — Got away an hour after daybreak, ^i^ss. 
and reached Unaria an hour before sunset, over twenty 
miles of the very worst road I have ever seen in any 
country. Four of the natives ran away during a heavy 
storm last night. On my arrival I found all quiet, only 
Bonny and the Zanzibaris with the Soudanese occupying 
the village, and two or three of the head muniaparas 
of the Manyemas, with their men, camped outside the 
village. Bonny had done all that a man could do under 
very trying circumstances. He had recovered about three 
hundred of the loads carried by the Manyemas, and had 
succeeded in quieting those of them who remained. It 
appears that just at daybreak, on the morning of the 19th, 
one of the Manyemas camped in the village close to this 
house began to beat his drum and sing, which is their 
constant practice, although an unpleasant one. Barttelot 
had been annoyed by the same noise early in the night, 
between 9 and 10 o'clock, and had sent his boy Sudi to 
them, when they had ceased. He sent his boy again 
in the morning, when loud murmurs were heard, 
and two guns were fired off in the air. He then jumped 
out of bed, taking his revolver, and went out of the 
house, although Bonny tried to persuade him not to do 
so. Immediately afterwards a shot was fired, and shouts 
were heard that the Major was killed. A fearful scene 
of panic then followed. Bonny went out and could 
not find a Zanzibari ; called for Muni Somai, who did 
not appear ; ordered the Soudanese to follow him, but 
they stood to arms, and refused to follow. Then 
Bonny went towards the spot where the shot had been 
fired, Ghana, the Somali, and Omaha, the Soudanese 
officer, following him. He proceeded until he came to 
the body of Major Barttelot, which was lying face 
upwards, with one hand under the body holding his 
revolver, which had not been discharged. He must 
have been shot dead on the spot, the bullet passing in 
under the centre of the breast-bone, and out through 
his back behind the heart, having travelled slightly 
upwards ; not a muscle of the face had moved. Bonny 
thinks that he was shot from a narrow passage between 



i?40 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN- 

1888. two houses, but all the men report that he was shot 
^ ^ r^ ■ from a door, and went a few steps before falling. The 
body was then conveyed back to the house. The shouts 
and cries through the village were frightful, so much so 
that Bonny thought a general massacre was taking 
place, but it was really a stampede. He did all he 
could to quiet them, but they all left the village. The 
Major was buried in a quiet spot in the forest, close to 
the village, the same day, and Bonny spent the rest of 
it in recovering loads. 

July 2Drd. — Made an inventory of all the eifects of 
poor Major Barttelot, and packed all those things we 
considered necessary to send home, a full account of 
the disposal of everything being sent to Sir Walter 
Barttelot. Had an interview with three of the head 
Manyemas who came into camp, and impressed upon 
them the necessity for my seeing them all before leaving 
for Stanley Falls to see Tippu-Tib. They said the 
others were afraid to come in. I then offered to go out 
alone, without arms, and meet them anywhere they 
chose to name. Finally Sadi, one of the head men, 
said he would go out and see them and bring me their 
answer, and in case they would not see me, would bring 
information respecting loads and number of men. I 
then offered a reward for the arrest of Sanga, the man 
who shot Major Barttelot. Any steps taken by us 
against them now towards the finding of this man 
would end in the loss of all the loads, and a general 
massacre of us all, for were the Zanzibaris given their 
guns, they would either desert with them, or have them 
taken by the Manyemas, and we have only a mere 
handful of Soudanese to do guard, and upon whom we 
can depend to use their guns in case of a fight. All 
loads and men whom I left arrived all right. 

July 9Ath. — A very busy day. Began by examining 
and making a list of all the loads recovered from the 
Manyemas. After this, we instituted a search amongst 
the Soudanese, in consequence of one of the bales of 
cloth in their charge having been tampered with, and 



DIARY. 341 

found a quantity of cloth, although none of it was taken r^f^%t 
from these bales. Had just completed this, when Sadi unLa, 
arrived with a number of the head Manyemas. I told 
them that I was going to Stanley Falls to see Tippu- 
Tib, and try to come to some arrangement with him, so 
that all matters might be settled and the Expedition 
proceed. I then got a list from each man, concerning 
the loads he had returned, how many were lost, &c. 
They told me that Muni Somai, six head men, and Sanga, 
the man who shot Barttelot, were all at Stanley Falls. 
I find there are 193 Manyema carriers still camped in 
the vicinity. We have recovered 298 1 loads, and 47^ 
are missing. I then arranged all the papers connected 
with the Expedition found amongst the Major's effects. 
There are missing a packet of letters to the officers who 
went with Mr. Stanley, and a large sealed letter for 
Mr. Stanley, which I handed to Barttelot at Yambuya 
Camp, and for which I have a receipt. These are 
believed to have been lost in a bag of his which one of 
his men ran away with, on his return here from Stanley 
Falls. Had all the defects in the sacking of the loads 
repaired. There is a sadness hanging over everything, 
which no amount of work will shake off. 

July 2t)fh. — Did not get away until 9 o'clock, but 
marched until 5 o'clock, when we camped in the forest. 
The men had to stop for half an hour to collect manioc, 
as we shall have two days in the forest without food. 
The road is a very bad one. Had to wade six streams 
in the first hour, most of them up to my arm-pits. One 
box and my rifle and cartridges were dropped in one of 
the streams, so we made a bad start. I found Ngombe 
and nearly all the head Manyemas camped in the forest, 
about two hours from Unaria, close to the edge of the 
manioc plantations. I stopped and spoke to them, 
especially to those who did not come in yesterday. I 
can now only find 183 men camped near Unaria. The 
camp had a strong zariba round it, with places cut in it 
for %he use of guns. The men were very civil, giving 
me all the information they could ; they all say that 



342 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

3^\i Sanga is at Stanley Falls. They told me they would 
^ ^,, " do whatever I asked them to. I am srlad to 2ret on the 

On the ' n 1 1 • 1 • 1 T 

march to maich again, lor one has not so much time to think, i 
^FaUs^ t^^v^ ^ot slept more than six hours altogether in the 
last three nights. 

July 2^th. — Started at 6.30 a.m., camped at 4.30 p.m. 
The road lay through forest and swamp, with cane- 
brakes and creepers in abundance, of the very worst 
description. It appears that a day beyond this, on the 
road to Stanley Falls, Muni Somai met Nasoro Masudi 
and Ali bin Saidi, on their way to Unaria with 200 guns, 
to shoot natives, as they express it. Nasoro Masudi 
asked him what business he had there, when he knew 
his place was at Unaria, and told him to return at once. 
I found him camped at this place with Kapranga, on 
his way back to Unaria. He began a long explanation 
to me of his reasons for going back to Stanley Falls, 
saying that the morning the Major was shot the 
Manyemas wanted to shoot him. I told him that he and 
Kapranga had deliberately run away ; that had he gone 
straight to Mr. Bonny he would have been perfectly safe ; 
and that there were forty-seven loads lost, for which he 
would have to answer to Tippu-Tib. He told me that 
he had twice sent out men to shoot Sanga, but that he 
had gone to Tippu-Tib at Singatini. I told him to send 
all his men with Kapranga to Unaria, to camp near Mr. 
Bonny (but not into the village), and to come himself 
straight to Tippu-Tib with me. He gave me two letters 
addressed to Major Barttelot, one from Tippu-Tib, the 
other from Mons. Baert. Tippu-Tib 's letter was to advise 
him to be very careful with the Manyemas, as some of 
them had died on the road; and always to stop some time 
where there was food, as there were many places on the 
road with no food to be got for three or four days. 
Mons. Baert's letter was merely sending his compliments 
to all of us, and telling us that Tippu-Tib assured him 
everything would be all right. These letters were brought 
to Nasoro Masudi only a day beyond this, and it appears 
Mr. Benny's letter was taken on by the same messenger 



DIABY. 343 

yesterday, so that it is only two days ahead of me. }^i\a 

Nasoro Masudi and Co. evidently meant to follow up q^^ ^^^ 

on our road bevond Unaria, just as Abdullah Karongo nmrch ta 

foUowed Mr. Stanley. ^'i^^ 

July 21th. — Started at 6 o'clock and camped at a 
' large village called Unyoy, tribe Babura, at 5 o'clock, 
doing a good ten hours' march. The road was one mass 
of creepers, cane-brake, and swamp. Here I found 
Nasoro Masudi and Ali bin Saidi. The former, with his 
usual hospitality, sent me a delicious curried fowl, and 
offered me rice for the road, and chickens ; but I declined 
them with thanks, telling him that he was going where 
there was neither, and I was going where there was 
plenty. His cooking is just as good in the bush as at 
Stanley Falls. He wrote a letter for me to Tippu- 
Tib, telling him I am coming to Stanley Falls as fast as 
possible, where all my business can be better settled 
than if he were to meet me on the road. This letter 
goes by special messenger, and ought to reach Singatini 
at least a whole day before me. Nasoro Masudi and 
Co. are going on beyond Unaria on Mr. Stanley's road, 
for nine or ten days, when they intend to make a strong 
boma, and fight the natives there, settling up the vil- 
lages as they have done here, and leaving a few men in 
each. The natives periodically rise and eat these men, 
but fresh ones take their place. Their force here is a 
very strong one of 200 guns ; they left Stanley Falls on 
this big slave and ivory hunt, after the Belgians had 
taken up their residence there. Nasoro Masudi tells 
me that Tippu-Tib's people at Mampuya had told him 
that many of the Manyemas said they would shoot me, 
but they did not expect me to get into Unaria as quickly 
as I did. 

July 2Sth. — Started at 6.30, and camped in the forest 
at 5.30, having done a good twenty miles on the road. 
Nasoro Masudi and Ali bin Saidi came to me this 
morning before starting, and told me to be very careful 
on the road, and sent nine men with guns, and a head 
man with orders to keep close to me the whole time. 



34.4 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

juf^28 "^^^y ^^y ^^^^ many of the men who tried to bolt to 
On the Stanley Falls are on the road, and have no good inten- 

tnarch to tlons towards me. The worst of these brutes is that they 
Falls? will ^o^ fight openly, but will shake hands with you one 
moment and shoot you the next. 

July 2dth, Sunday.— Qot away shortly after 6 a.m., and 
reached Tanjika, tribe Wamanga, at 5 o'clock. The road 
good, and the men went very fast, doing in one day two 
marches of Major Barttelot's, distance about twenty miles. 
On the road we met two of Muni Mahara's head men 
from Nyangwe, with about 200 guns, to whom Tippu- 
Tib has given leave to hunt for ivory up the Aruwimi. 
This means that they will fight the natives, settle a lot of 
villages, and then he will claim them. The huts here are 
long, low sheds, quite difierent from any on the Aruwimi. 

July 30th. — Started at 6 a.m., and marched to a 
village called Yarulea, where we stopped for three hours 
to let the men buy and cook food. This is a large 
village, with many Arabs in it. The head man Marijana 
sent me lunch, and whilst waiting for the men I made 
a sketch of the native chief Tina-Tina, tribe Wamanga. 
Started again at 12 o'clock and marched until after 5 p.m., 
and having done a good sixteen miles, camped in the 
forest. The Arabs hate the way that the natives show 
their liking for a white man, and try and prevent one's 
paying them for anything or giving them a present. 

July 31st. — Started before 6 a.m., and reached the 
first village at 12 o'clock, where I found Salem Masudi, 
with a letter from Tippu-Tib, asking me to leave all 
loads at Unaria, and to come to Stanley Falls as soon 
as possible. Salem Masudi's orders were to catch 
Sanga, the man who shot Barttelot, and then to find 
me. He has found and sent Sanga to Stanley Falls. 
Marched to this village, Yatatuka, about four hours 
further. Salem had orders to open the bundles of 
every man he met on the road, and we found cloth and 
beads on one of my men, who was with me, and not in 
Unaria, when the things were stolen. He confessed 
that Faragi, the head muniapara of our Zanzibaris, had 



DIARY. 345 

given them to him to buy rice at the Falls. "Whom is j^lf^lj^ 

one to trust I I hear Tippu-Tib is in a terrible state q^ ^^^ 

about the whole matter, and Muni Somai received such marcii to 

a letter from him that it made him quite sick, and he "palisf 
asked my leave to go ahead, as he felt bad! Salem 
found some stolen cloth also on Abdullah Karongo's men. 

August 1st. — Started before 6 a.m. and reached Yarra- 
combi, on the Congo, opposite to Yatuka, at a little 
after 9 a.m. I allowed the men to buy food, and get 
away in canoes as fast as possible. Could obtain no 
news of Heri, or Daodi, the men who ran aAvay from 
the Major. Reached Upper Atiacusu at dark, where 
the natives refused to go in canoes in the night, 
but Salem Masudi threatened to burn their village, as 
Tippu-Tib had sent for me, so we got away at last and 
spent a most miserable night amongst the rocks, getting 
in here (Stanley Falls) shortly after daybreak. 

August 2nd. — Found that the new Belgian paddle- 
steamer 3)1 Avant arrived here yesterday, with the new 
chief of this Station. Went straight to Tippu-Tib on 
arrival, and told him I wished to have a house on this 
side close to him, as I had much business to do with him 
and not much time to do it in. He gave me the house of 
Nasoro bin Saef, who is not here. Wrote a note over to 
Mons. Baert, as I heard Ward was at Bangala, asking him 
if he had sent up any letters or telegrams, at the same 
time thanking him (Baert) and his brother officers for 
their kind invitation to go and stay with him on the 
other side. E^eceived a reply from Baert, saying Ward 
was not very pleased with his position, but telling 
me nothing about telegrams or letters, adding that he 
would come over and see me in a few hours. 

Later. — Mons. Baert arrived in about an hour. He 
tells me that Ward had come up in the JEn Avant to 
Bangala, having seen Van Kerckhoven on the road. 
There he received his orders to remain in charge of the 
loads, and it seems that he reserved the letters and the 
reply to the telegram also on shore ! The captain of the 
steamer says there were boxes for me from England, 
with 15 letters, and letters for the other officers, a reply 



346 STORY OF THE RE AH COLUMN. 

1888, to telegram, from the Committee, &c. «&c. Now I am 
Stlnie ^^^^ l^ere in a most serious position, not knowing 

Faiis„ what reply the Committee have sent, and I can only 
judge that it is not a recall from the fact that Ward 
did not send it on, and that, according to the last 
news from Europe, nothing is known of Mr. Stanley. 
Tippu-Tib sent me a capital breakfast, and after Baert's 
departure came over to have a private interview with 
me. I told him all that I had done at Unaria, and that 
I had come to him to help me to make such arrange- 
ments as would permit of the Expedition proceeding as 
soon as possible, and to demand justice on the murderer 
of Major Barttelot. He said, " I am almost afraid to 
send you with these men; I think Major Barttelot's 
murder must have been a thing thought of by many." 
I told him there might have been a bad feeling against 
the Major, and there might be against me, but it was 
evidently not a premeditated act, and that his murder 
and the loss of so many loads were due undoubtedly to 
the utter incapacity of Muni Somai to command the men ; 
that if he could give me a man who was a sufficient repre- 
sentative of his power, to command them, that I might 
feel some safety for the loads, and some hope of success 
in the undertaking, it was my duty, in the absence of 
all news in Europe from Mr. Stanley, and with no news 
from the Committee, to proceed at once. As regarded 
my own life, I said that he could not be held answerable 
for its safety, for there were a hundred ways in which I 
might die on such an Expedition, and that if I undertook 
it with my eyes open, I alone was answerable for anything 
that might happen to me, or to the loads, and for the loss 
of Mr. Bonny's life, should such a thing occur. I told 
him that Muni Somai's contract with me was utterly 
broken, and asked him if he could send Eachid, Nzige's 
son, with me. He made an excuse about his not being 
able to march well, which I knew to be untrue, and 
found out that the real reason was that Nzige does not 
wish him to go. I told Tippu-Tib that if he sent 
Rachid with me I would give him the same amount 
that Muni Somai was to have received, and further, 



DIABY, 347 

that if he stuck to me right through I would guarantee ^^,^^^^'2 
him £500 besides out of my own pocket. He asked Stanley 
me for time until to-morrow to think it all over, and FaUs. 
inquired whether he would be held answerable for the 
loss of the loads and Major Barttelot's death. I told 
him the truth, that according to his contract he was 
not, but that Muni Somai was, according to his con- 
tract, certainly answerable for all ; that this was my 
opinion, but that the real people to judge the matter 
would be the Committee, when they knew all the facts 
of the case. I then asked him for justice on Sanga, 
the man who shot Major Barttelot. He replied, " I 
have him here in prison ; it is your case ; I will deliver 
him over to you." I told him that as the new Belgian 
chief of the Station had arrived, and the act had been 
committed in their territory, I should communicate 
the facts to him without delay, and that although I 
could, after what he had said, take Sanga out and have 
him shot, many voices would be raised against such a 
proceeding. He said, " You are right." Finally he 
said he would think over everything and see me again 
to-morrow morning. I then got a canoe and crossed 
over to the Belgian Station, was introduced to Mons. 
Haneuse, the new Eesident, and told him about the 
case of the man Sanga, and that he admitted his guilt. 
He said, " There is only one thing to be done. Tippu- 
Tib, Mons. Baert, and I will hold a council of war, call 
out a file of men, and have him shot." It is my duty 
to answer the call of justice, and to see this man shot 
before I leave. Yet, again, it may turn out against the 
interests of the Expedition to have him executed until 
after my departure, in that it may cause a doubly bad 
feeling amongst the Manyemas against the white men. 
It is, however, only just that he should be shot before 
there is any possibility of his escape, and there is a chance 
of its having a good effect on the Manyemas instead of 
a bad one. Mons. Haneuse offered to send the steamer 
back at once for the loads and letters, if I would write 
to Ward teUing him to deliver them all up, and make 
arrangements with Tippu-Tib that he might receive them. 



8^18 STORY OF THE REAM COLUMN. 

L^^'i 2 ^^ ^^^ return to this side I again saw Tippu-Tib, who 
stfnie appears to be very anxious about the news of the 
Falls. Sultan of Zanzibar's death, and wanted to know if the 
news had gone to Europe by telegram or letter. Told 
him it would be probably by telegram, but that I would 
find out. He said, " I have been expecting canoes fi:om 
Kassongo since the middle of the month ; they will be 
here in the next two days ; if there is any news from 
Uganda or Unyoro I will know it " (concerning Stanley). 
He was deeply interested in the news that General 
Boulanger was likely to become head of the French 
Government, as he hoped it might lead to a war with 
Germany. I can only hope that he will send Rachid 
with me, for he has more personal authority over the 
Manyemas than any one except himself. 

August Srd. — Tippu-Tib crossed over to the Belgian 
Station this morning, and told them that there are only 
three men in the country who could now go in command 
of the Manyemas : Sefo, his son, Rachid, Nzige's son, 
and himself. He said that he himself could go in 
two days' time, if it was necessary (this he told me yester- 
day). They told him they could not consent to his 
going, as all his duties lay here as chief of the Station, 
but that he ought to use all his influence with Rachid 
to make him go. Sefo is chief at Kassongo, and it 
would take him too long to get here. Tippu-Tib says 
he has sent for Rachid to the Lumami River to-day, and 
that he will be here in two or three days' time ; that he 
is a perfectly free agent, having his own money and 
men, and that I should have to treat with him per- 
sonally. After breakfast I told Tippu-Tib that I wished 
to have Muni Somai's case tried before him and all the 
other Arabs, so that no one could say I had torn up his 
contract unfairly. They all accordingly assembled, and 
he was sent for. I read out to them the whole of the 
contract, and stated that at Nasoro bin Saef 's village he 
had confessed to me that he could not make the Man- 
yemas obey him, and that he had refused to send a 
guard of his men with Mr. Bonny to Unaria. I then 



LETTER. 349 

stated all the facts concerning Major Barttelot's death, ^^gtsi^ 
when Muni Somai had openly deserted, and I turned gfaniey 
round and asked him if he had anything to say against ^^iis- 
these statements. He began to mutter something, when 
Tippu-Tib said, " Stop, you have not one word to say 
in defence; I know all this to be true." He then asked 
me what I wished to do. I answered that, in the first 
place, I should destroy all the contracts, and then make 
him deliver up all ammunition, rifles, tent, revolver, &c. 
which he had received from us, and try to recover from 
him the sums of money advanced in part payment to 
himself and his men. Tippu-Tib then asked me to 
state the sums, and Avrote them down on paper, saying, 
" I will settle all this matter for you." I mentioned the 
fact to Mons. Baert to-day that Tippu-Tib was rather 
puzzled at the anival of a Belgian chief of the Station, 
when he had himself been appointed chief. Baert ex- 
plained that Mons. Haneuse was not to be chief here, 
but only Resident, and promised to explain the position 
to Tippu-Tib. I see from Barttelot's instructions to 
Ward, which I read to-day for the first time, that he is 
not wrong in the matter of keeping things at Bangala, 
for his instructions were that if on arrival there he 
heard that we had left Yambuya, he was to keep all 
stores brought up by him there, and only forward the 
reply of the Committee in case of its being a recall. 



LETTER TO ANDREW JAMESON, Esq. 

Stanley Falls, 

August 3rd, 1888. 

Mt deae Andy, 

... A few days after our departure from Yambuya 
Camp, the desertions of the Zanzibaris with their loads 
and rifles began, and at last they became so bad, fourteen 
having bolted in one lot, that, on June 24th, Major 
Barttelot left for Stanley Falls, leaving me in command, 
to see what Tippu-Tib could do towards the recovery of 
men and loads. My personal duties then lay almost 



350 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

AiJ^us^ts entirely with the Manyemas (400) supplied by Tippu- 
staniej ^ib. I had serious trouble with them on many occa- 
Falis. sions. When within four or five days of Unaria, a long 
way up the Aruwimi Kiver, I sent on Mr. Bonny with 
the Soudanese and Zanzibaris to that place. At this 
time we had a number of loads, and no men to carry 
them, for we had had to take all the rifles and ammuni- 
tion from the Zanzibaris, and carry them as loads, under 
an escort, to prevent their deserting. I had therefore 
to remain where I was, with those loads, until the 
return of men from Unaria to carry them. At this 
time the Manyemas were with me, and I had serious 
trouble in getting them to start for Unaria, and a pretty 
narrow squeak for my life, when I think of poor Major 
Barttelot's death afterwards. One night, after Mr. Bonny 
left, I had gone to bed, and out of pure devilment they 
fired off about 100 guns in a minute round my tent, I 
suppose to frighten me. Some of the guns were fired 
off right beside the tent, lighting it up with the flash. 
I jumped out of bed, and ran out, catching one man in 
the act of firing off his gun at the back of the tent. I 
ran at him, when he flung his gun to another man, and 
I caught him by the arm, and shouted out to the head 
Arab in charge (Muni Somai) to come to me. He had 
run into his tent in a funk. The man was a big fellow, 
and it was all I could do to hold him. I sent a Sou- 
danese for Muni Somai, when another Manyema came 
up, and put his gun on full cock right up close to my 
breast, when Muni Somai arrived, and then there was 
a devil of a row. I told them all that I would shoot 
the very next man that fired off his gun beside my tent, 
and not another gun was fired whilst they remained in 
that camp. I did not think much of it at the time, but 
since then I have. I got the Manyemas at last to go on 
to Unaria, and a few days afterwards the men returned 
for the loads, and I started. On the 21st July at mid- 
day, when nearing our camping-place, I met two mes- 
sengers from Bonny, vdth a note simply stating the fact 
that poor Major Barttelot had been shot dead by one 
of the Manyemas, early on the morning of the 19th/ 



LETTER. 351 

and that the head man and all of them had bolted. }^^^\ o 
There had been a perfect downpour of rain all morning, ^^^^^ 
so I camped, as the men were too tired to go on, and Fails. 
my starting for Unaria that evening was useless. Next 
morning at daybreak I started with three men, leaving 
the loads to come on after me in charge of a Soudanese 
escort, and reached Unaria at sunset, having done three 
marches in one day. Here I found all quiet, and Mr. 
Bonny told me the following story: — Major Barttelot 
arrived at Unaria on the evening of the 17th. On the 
18th he gave one of the Manyemas (the men supplied 
by Tippu-Tib) a thrashing for firing off his gun in the 
village. On the night of the 18th some of them were 
beating their drums, and singing, when the Major 
sent his boy to them, and the noise ceased. About 4 
o'clock next morning, just before daybreak, they began 
again (it is their constant practice every morning at 
this hour). He again sent his boy to them, when loud 
murmurs were heard, and two shots were fired off in 
the air. The Major then jumped out of bed, put his 
clothes on, and his revolver in his pocket, and left the 
house, although Bonny tried to persuade him not to do 
so. Immediately afterwards a shot was fired, and loud 
shouts were heard of, " The Major is killed." A fearful 
panic then took place, the Manyemas bolting in every 
direction. Bonny went out, but could not find a Zan- 
zibari ; called for Muni Somai, but he did not come ; 
told the Soudanese to follow him ; they stood to arms, 
but would not follow. He then went towards where the 
shot was fired, followed by Ghana, a Somali, and Omaha, 
a Soudanese ofiicer, until he came to the Major's body, 
which was lying outside a house, quite close by. He 
had been shot stone dead on the spot, for not a muscle 
of his face had moved. He was lying on his back, with 
one hand under him, holding his revolver, which had 
not been discharged. From what 1 have heard since, 
it appears he went to this house, where a woman was 
beating a drum, and singing, and said, " Who is that 
making this noise 1 Stop it ! " The man inside, on 
seeing who it was, turned round to a boy of his, and 



B52 STOUT OF TEE HEAR COLUMN, 

Aii^^^t's ^^^^' " ^^ * ^QTQ is the white man come to beat my 
Stanley* ^^^ j shoot him " — upon which the boy picked up a 
Falls, gun, and shot him stone dead through the chest. He 
was buried that afternoon in a quiet spot in the forest, 
and Bonny spent the rest of the day in recovering loads. 
Muni Somai had bolted in his shirt, leaving his praying 
things on the ground, and was not seen again. 1 re- 
mained two days in Unaria, arranging everything and" 
interviewing the head Manyemas, whom I succeeded in 
getting to come in and see me. Any act of reprisal on 
Mr. Bonny's part at the time, or on my part after my 
arrival, would have been fatal to the whole Expedition, 
for had we given the Zanzibaris their guns, they would 
only have run away with them, and that would have left us 
vrith less than twenty Soudanese to fight 400 Manyemas. 
I told all the head men that I was going straight to 
Tippu-Tib to try and arrange for a fresh start, and that 
I wanted them to camp in the vicinity, where there was 
plenty of food ; on no account to come into the village, 
for that might only lead to fresh trouble, but to wait 
quietly until I returned from Tippu-Tib, which I would 
do as quickly as possible. They all agreed to this, and 
told me that Sanga, the man who had caused Major Bart- 
telot to be shot, had gone to Stanley Falls. I started 
on the 25th, and reached Yarracombi, on the Congo, on 
Aug. 1st, having taken seven days and two hours to do 
130 miles with loads. Our road lay through swamp 
and cane-brake for the most part, and was in a frightful 
state after the late heavy rains. Got a canoe, and 
reached Stanley Falls morning at daybreak, having 
spent all night dodging amongst the rocks in the river. 
On my road I met Muni Somai returning to Unaria, he 
having been turned back by one of Tippu-Tib's head 
Arabs. I told him to send all his men back, but to 
come himself with me to Tippu-Tib. I also met Nasoro 
Masudi and Ali bin Saidi, two big Arabs, who were 
very kind to me, and insisted on giving me a guard of 
nine men, and a head man to stick to me day and night, 
for they said that there were a good many of the men 
on the road who had tried to bolt to Stanley Falls, and 



LETTER, 353 

that they had no good intentions towards me. They August 3 
also told me that some of them meant to have a shot at Stanley 
me before I got into Unaria, but they never thought I ^^^^^• 
could get there so quickly. God bless them ! Went 
straight to Tippu-Tib on my arrival here, and had a 
perfectly private interviev^^ with him. Told him that I 
had come to seek his aid, in order to proceed at once, and 
to demand justice on Sanga. He told me that he was 
afraid to let the Expedition proceed — my life had been 
threatened, Major Barttelot had been shot, and the 
Manyemas were even worse than he thought. I told 
him that, as regarded my own life, there were a hundred 
ways on such an expedition in which I might lose it ; 
my duty was to go on at all hazards, and if he could 
get me a big Arab, sufficiently representative of his 
authority to insure to some extent the safety of the 
loads, and the ultimate success of the Expedition, I 
would go on at once. I then told him I wanted Eachid, 
his brother Nzige's son. He asked me to give him until 
the next day to think it all over, and said that he had 
Sanga here in chains, and would deliver him over to me 
for justice, as it was my case. I told him that as the deed 
was done in what the Belgians call their territory, and 
the new Resident had arrived here the day before, I 
should see him about it. It appears that Ward, who 
was sent down the Congo with telegrams in March, 
returned on board the steamer that brought the Belgian 
Resident here, but his orders were only to send on the 
answer from the Committee if it was a recall, and if he 
heard that we had left Yambuya Camp, he was to keep 
all the stores, &c., which he had brought up, at Bangala. 
This is an awful blow to me, as the captain of the steamer 
told me he had about fifteen letters for me, also cases 
from England, as well as letters for all the other officers. 

Poor Major Barttelot little thought 

what was going to happen when he sent those orders 
to Ward ; we expected by this time to be far on our 

way to Albert Nyanza Tippu-Tib told me that 

he had sent to the Lumami River for Rachid. 

2 ^ 



354 



STORY OF THE BEAU COLUMN. 




18S8. 
August 5. 

Stanley 
Falls. 



[Aug. bth.) Sefo has the command at Kassongo, and 
it would take him too long to get here. You see I did 
not make a bad choice in my man, and he (Rachid) is the 
man that I always tried to get the poor Major to ask for, 
but he had taken some dislike to him, and would not do so. 
I know he dislikes Europeans, but he is a young man — 
ambitious, and fond of money, and I think I can touch 
him on all those points. He is feared like the very 
devil by all the Manyemas, and will be about the biggest 
man in the whole of this country. He is a perfectly 
free agent, having his own money and men, and I shall 
have to deal with him personally. Sanga, the man who 
shot the Major, is to be tried to-morrow morning at the 
Belgian Station, before the Resident and Tippu-Tib, and 
will be shot afterwards. As this will happen before I 
leave for Unaria, they will hear of it there when I arrive, 
and I suppose it will make a few more ambitious to have 
a pot at me, but it is my pure bounden duty to see this 

man shot before I leave, so I can't help that 

It is a long, long road that has no turning, 
and I hope to God ours will take a turn in the right 



LETTERS. 355 

direction before long. The only game to play with the ^^^^ 
Arabs is a perfectly open one, keeping your own hands ^^^\q 
clean, and watching like the very devil to see what Fail*. 
cards they have up their sleeves. Whatever happens to 
me, old man, I've tried to do my duty in this blessed Expe- 
dition, and many a time, when I have thought of Ethel 
and home, I would have liked to chuck the whole 
thing up, when there were plenty of officers to take my 
place. . . . 



LETTEE TO MES. JAMESON. 

Stanley Ealls, 

August 3rd, 1888. 

.... Little did I think, when I spoke to you of my 
feelings of duty, that I should ever be placed in such a 
position as I now am, in which all that I feel for you 
and our little ones cries out against what I must do as 
an officer of this Expedition. With one word, or even 
a show of weakness on my part, I could stop the whole 
Expedition, which seems fated to meet with nothing 
but reverses, and return to you, but God knows such a 
thought never entered my heart, although I could easily 
defend such an action on my part. The first thing that 
flashed across my brain on finding myself so placed was 
your father's favourite text, "Know, O man, that to know 
and love justice, and to do the thing that is right, that 
shall bring a man peace at the last," and you will see what 
a help every word in that verse has been to me now. Poor 
Major Barttelot was shot dead by one of the Manyemas 

early on the morning of the 19th July I 

am writing this in the early morning before my inter- 
view with Tippu-Tib, as I have to seize every moment I 
can, for I have much to write to the Committee. Poor 
Barttelot was one of the closest friends I ever had, and 
the absence of all neAvs from you makes me, as you 
can imagine, rather low, to say the least of it. Tippu- 
Tib is almost afraid to send on the Expedition for fear 
of what would be said of him, should anything happen 
to it, and I have to appear before him as full of life and 

2^2 



356 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

1888. hope as I possibly can to keep Mm tip to the mark. . . 
Stelley ' behind my back there are the most foul reports being 

Falls, spread by Assad Farran, the dismissed Soudanese inter- 
preter, but, thank God, I can clear my character from 
them. I will fully explain all this afterwards. 

{August ^th, Sunday). ... I will try my utmost to 
induce Eachid to go with us. . . . The reports that 
Assad Farran, the dismissed interpreter, wrote down on 
paper for some of the Belgian officers are one tissue of 
falsehoods. They are about my shooting natives on the 
way to Kassongo, and buying a gir] to be eaten by can- 
nibals at Eiba-E-iba on my way back. I am almost sure 
that in my letter to you from Kassongo I mentioned 
the fact of having shot at some natives for the protection 
of the caravan of canoes I was going with. I have sent 
a true account of both affairs to Mr. Mackinnon, and I 
am having the necessary witnesses examined here before 
one of the Belgian officers, and papers signed to send 
home. It is a blessing that I am enabled to do so. It is 
an awful thing to think that a low scoundrel like Assad 
Farran should be allowed to traduce one behind one's 
back, when one has not a chance of defending oneself! 
I am so anxious about everything that I lie awake for 
hours at night thinking, but when once on the march 
again, all that will pass. I only do pray that I may get 
the Expedition started again, but the Arabs are very 
hard customers to deal with. Whatever happens, you, 
at any rate, will know that I have done my best. 

DIARY {continued). 

August ith. — Copying letters all day. Tippu-Tib is 
sending men at once to a number of villages to try and 
recover loads and deserters. He seems much more 
hopeful to-day. Wrote to Mr. Mackinnon explaining 
Assad Farran's statements about me. Took over all 
letters and poor Barttelot's things to the Belgian Station 
in the evening. Wrote to Ward at Bangala, telling him 
to hand over all letters for us to the captain of the first 
steamer that passed up to the Falls, and on no account 



DIARY, 357 

to leave Bangala until hearing from the Committee, as i^^^- 
I might wish to employ him at any moment either with gtanie- 
the loads or telegrams. Fails. 

Handed 

August bth^ Sunday. — Mons. Haneuse, Botson, and Jlj^^i So^ 
Baert came over to see Tippu-Tib and sent for me, mai seven 
when it was agreed that Tippu-Tib should cross to the fsyrJinds 
Belgian Station to-morrow morning, bringing with him f*^^ same ; 
Sanga, the man who shot Barttelot, when he will be voiver, 
tried and executed. I know that his beinoj shot before P rounds 
I leave will create many enemies for me among the one side of 
Manyemas in our camp, as they will then* hear of it, ^®"*- 
but it is my duty to see it done myself. Wrote my 
private letters. Muni Somai came to see me, and in 
the most abject manner begged to be allowed to keep 
the tent and revolver, or buy them. I told him they 
were Mr. Stanley's, and I could not think of such a 
thing. He then insisted on presenting me with two 
slaves of his who are at Unaria — a man to carry a load, 
and a woman to cook and keep things tidy. I told 
him I did not want either, and that they would be 
much more useful to him. He said he might never see 
me again, and that he would hand them over to Mr. 
Bonny at Unaria. I believe he would tell the man to 
shoot me if he got the chance, and the woman to 
poison me, for when he came in here, the evening after 
his trial, while shaking hands with me before leaving, 
he simply clenched his teeth and shivered from head to 
foot, and I could see it was all he could do to contain 
himself. He went to Tippu-Tib this morning, and 
asked him who was going to pay him the money for his 
men and himself, for the time they had been with us. 
Tippu-Tib merely said, "You had better go and ask 
Mr. Jameson that." He is going to join one of the 
ivory-hunting parties from Unaria to-morrow, I believe 
Nasoro Masudi's. I wish them joy of him. 

August 6th. — Kachid arrived from the Lumami River 
this morning. After breakfast he came and had an 
interview. I told him he was the man I wanted to 



358 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

1888. iielp me, and that if he came now, after all that had 
stanie taken place, and got us through either to Stanley oi 

Falls. Emin Pasha, he would be making a very great name for 
himself; few men have ever had the same chance. He 
urged that he had a country of his own, many people, 
and a regular quantity of ivory coming in every month, 
and that there was no one left to look after his business. 
I told him that I knew well that he was a very big man, 
but that he would win a greater name than any one in 
this country, should he be the means of our getting 
through to Emin Pasha. I offered him £1,000 (the same 
as to Muni Somai), and a further sum of £500, as well as 
hiring 100 of his men, not to carry loads, but as a fighting 
force. He asked for a short time to think it over, and 
returned in an hour to say that he was sorry that 
he could not come this time. Next month he expected 
to receive 500 tusks of ivory, his father was going 
to Zanzibar, there was no one to look after his affairs, 
the road was a long one, Mr. Stanley had gone away for 
only some months, and had now been away for more 
than a year, and no one knew anything of him. I 
explained to him that Stanley's men did not understand 
fighting natives as well as the Manyemas did ; that many 
men had run away on the road, and many had died; 
that from Eturi, where he was last heard of, to the Lake 
was only a month's journey; that nothing having been 
heard of him beyond the Lake, it would appear that he 
was somewhere on that month's journey, most probably 
in a strong camp, expecting us every day. He still 
maintained that he could not come, and went away. I 
sent for Tippu-Tib, and gave him the reasons Rachid 
had given me, and asked him whether he thought that 
I might yet induce him to go by guaranteeing him any 
sum in case of any loss he might incur in ivory. He 
told me No, that the real reason of his refusal was that 
he was afraid to come, for he feared death. He said 
he had now sent for Selim Mahommed, thinking he 
might come, as he is a man who is anxious to make 
money. I reminded him that Selim Mahommed 
had had very serious trouble at Yambuya with Major 



DIARY. 359 

Barttelot and Mr. Bonny, and that should anything wrong ^^^^, 
occur on the road, the Committee would justly blame s^°nie- 
me for having taken him, knowing what I did ; but that Falls. 
if he, Tippu-Tib, would send him, not as a free agent, 
but as a personal representative of his own, carrying out 
his (Tippu-Tib's) orders, I might consider the matter. 
I told Tippu that I must go on in any case, whatever 
happened; that I had come to him for his aid and 
advice ; and that if he had given me all he could of both, 
I must try and think of a means of going on still. He 
jumped up out of his chair and said, " Give me £20,000 
and I and my people will go with you, find Mr. Stanley, 
and relieve Emin Bey," and went out of the house. 
This, to say the least of it, put me into a rather trying 
position. Selim Mahommed is, I know, afraid to go, 
and after what took place at Yambuya, I could not take 
him even were he willing to do so. There is not another 
man in the whole country able to go, Sefo having gone to 
Zanzibar. As a matter of fact the whole Expedition at 
the present moment has broken down, and yet there 
are all the loads and everything a long way on our 
road, ready at Unaria. Tippu-Tib will do it for no less, 
for I afterwards tried to get him to agree to so much a 
month, in case it took us only a very short time, when 
£20,000 would be too large a sum to pay anyone. I 
also tried to make it conditional on success, but he said 
those were his terms. The Belgians have refused to 
allow him to go ; they say his duties lie here, yet they 
will let him go to Kassongo for ten months or a year 
without a murmur. Tippu-Tib's proposition came from 
himself, for after what he and the Belgians told me the 
other day, I never thought of asking him. If I sign 
for this £20,000, surely the Committee and the country 
would not see me ruined by making me pay it all, and 
refuse to acknowledge the contract. I will write to my 
brothers at home, and tell them to see the Committee 
on the subject, and if they will not pay more than part 
of it, try to raise a subscription for the rest. Tippu- 
Tib sent to me several times to know what my intentions 
were, and at last I sent back to say that I would agree 



360 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

A lis 6. ^^ ^^^ terms, being driven to desperation and having 
Stanley thouglit of overy other way out of it with a hope in it 
Falls, of our going on. It must not be forgotten that since 
my arrival here the Manyemas in our camp have openly 
avowed their intention (if I went on with them myself) 
of going on with the loads until they could take a good 
village with a boma, where they would iling them 
down, and go off ivory-hunting, leaving Mr. Bonny 
and myself to do what we could. Tippu-Tib sent in 
the afternoon to beg me to cross to the other side 
with him, and settle the question about his going, with 
the Belgians. We crossed, and Tippu-Tib opened his 
case by telling them he had tried to get Rachid to go 
with me, but that he could not do so, and that there was 
no one else in the country to go but himself. I had told 
him that I would go on myself with his people, " but," 
said he, " if they have already acted as they have in my 
territory, what would they do further onl" He now 
wished to know if Mons. Haneuse thought he was 
right or wrong in going. Haneuse told him that 
if he was going he had no power to stop him; 
that Tippu-Tib himself knew what his contract with 
the King of the Belgians was ; that he (Mons. Haneuse) 
thought he ought not to go, but that he had no power to 
stop him. Tippu-Tib then said : — " At Zanzibar I signed 
a contract with Mr. Stanley for the supply of 600 men ; 
and Mr. Holmwood said, ' If you cannot get 600, get 
as many as you can.' I asked Mr. Stanley if he wanted 
me to go, but Mr. Stanley said No. When I got to 
Stanley Falls, I could not get men, so I went to Kas- 
songo for them, where Mr. Jameson followed me ; the 
result of this was that we got 400 men. Whilst at 
Kassongo I heard from Assad Farran that Major Bart- 
telot wanted Selim Mahommed to go in command of 
my men, but on asking Major Barttelot at Stanley Falls 
if he wanted him, he said, ' No, I do not even want 
him near me.' I then introduced him to Muni Somai, 
with the result that Muni Somai signed an agreement 
to belong to Major Barttelot and Mr. Jameson, and to 
command my men. I then handed my men over to 



DIARY. , 361 

Muni Somai, giving him full powers over them, to cut August 6 
off their hands or do anything to them if necessary, but Stanley 
he could not command them. Major Barttelot has been ^^^^» 
killed. Mr. Jameson then came to me. I brought him 
Rachid. Eachid would not go. Mr. Jameson said, ' I 
will go myself, for I must go on.' I then told Mr. 
Jameson that I would go myself. You and I, Mons, 
Haneuse, are both officers of the State ; will you tell me 
if 1 am right in going ] " Mons. Haneuse told him he 
could not say he was right in going, but that if he was 
bent on going, he could not stop him. It was then 
agreed to settle the matter to-morrow morning, and 
Sanga's trial also. After Tippu-Tib had gone, I said to 
Mons. Haneuse and the other Belgian officers present, 
that I was sure the King of the Belgians would not 
blame Tippu-Tib for what he was going to do, but 
rather commend him. They all agreed to this. I told 
them that although it was a private Expedition, both 
the English people and the English Government had a 
great interest in it, and that the King of the Belgians 
would never blame Tippu-Tib for helping us as he was 
going to do. To this they also agreed. I said the 
same to Tippu-Tib afterwards, and it greatly re-assured 
him. Mons. Haneuse, in acting as he did, was only 
doing his duty towards the State, for Tippu-Tib knows 
perfectly well that his contract with the State forbids 
his leaving their territory. He assured me that person- 
ally he was prepared to do all he could to help the 
Expedition, and I must say that he and all the other 
officers have done so already. 

August 7th. — Crossed to the other side after break- 
fast, and Sanga w^as tried before Mons. Haneuse, three 
other Belgian officers, and Tippu-Tib. Sanga was first 
asked what he had to say. He told a rambling story 
about Major Barttelot coming to his house where his 
women were drumming and singing, and that Kapranga 
came too ; that Major Barttelot kicked him ; and that 
when Kapranga, the Major, and he were outside, some 
one fired a shot from behind him, and shot the Major 



362 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 

kl^n^ti ^^^^^ th^ ball ^^^"^^ ill at his back, but that he had not 
Stanley ^^^^ ^^' Here Tippu-Tib stated that Sanga had told him, 
Falls. on arrival here, that he was in bed at the time the Major 
was shot. Mons. Haneuse asked him what made him 
run away and come here. He said that many people had 
accused him of having done it, and so he ran away. I 
then made the statement which Mr. Bonny had given me 
on my arrival at Unaria, and further stated that all the 
muniaparas of the Manyema had assured me that Sanga 
had shot Maj or Barttelot . Sanga was asked if he had any- 
thing further to say. He repeated that he had not done 
it, and had run away because people said he had, and that 
on the road to Yarracombi he had met Muni Somai, who, 
when he saw him, ran away as fast as he could. Voting 
papers were then given to Tippu-Tib, Mons. Haneuse, 
and the three other Belgian officers, to mark with a 
cross, if they considered him guilty, and to leave blank 
if innocent. All five papers were found crossed, so 
Mons. Haneuse told Sanga that he had been found 
guilty and would be shot. He laughingly replied 
" Well, do it quick." He was chained to a large log, 
and when carried outside said again with a laugh, " It 
is all right ; the white man is dead, I am going to die 
too." He was carried down to the rocks on the shore, 
where a firing-party of six Houssas, at six paces, fired at 
him, and did not kill him ; fired a second time and did not 
kill him ; then one of the Belgian officers ran up with a 
revolver, and fired two shots into his head. Only four 
bullets had hit him, two in the right breast, one in the 
knee, and one in the throat, besides the two from the 
revolver. After the first discharge, when he was hit by 
some of the bullets, the look he gave us was the most 
horrible I think I ever saw on a man's face. 

We then had lunch, and afterwards tried to arrange a 
contract with Tippu-Tib. He began by a long statement, 
saying that he would accept no less sum than £20,000, 
and that he would not agree to that sum being lessened, 
even were we to accomplish everything in three months 
or less ; that if beyond Eturi he met a man with a 
stronger force, and was attacked by him, if he saw that 



DIABT. 363 

he would lose many men lie should return, but would still 1888. 
expect the £20,000 ; in fact, the only agreement he ^^^^^ 
would sign would be to go in command of his own men Falls, 
for the sum of £20,000. He then said to me, " It is to 
Unyoro you want to get the loads. I will take you 
there for £20,000 ; 1st, guaranteeing to reach there in 
six months from date of starting ; 2nd, guaranteeing 
payment of any loss of loads ; 3rd, guaranteeing, after 
delivery of loads at Kibero, to assist in finding Stanley. 
Eoad by Kassongo, Tanganyika, and Unyoro. In case of 
finding the kings of Unyoro and Uganda at war with 
one another, I cannot guarantee reaching Kibero." I 
asked him to think over everything. After dark he 
came to my house, and we had a perfectly private 
interview. I told him that Mr. Stanley's very last 
orders on leaving Yambuya were to follow on his road. 
Major Barttelot had written to Mr. Mackinnon to say 
we had gone on that road, and his intention before he 
was killed had been to continue on that road. The 
reply to our telegram could not have been to go by 
any other route, or we should have received it. Emin 
Pasha's last statement was to the efiect that, were he 
not soon relieved, he would put himself at the head of 
his men and try and get out to the Congo. Finally, I 
said that in the face of all this I could not adopt a new 
route unless ordered to do so from home. Tippu-Tib 
said, "You are right." I then said to him, "You cannot 
get me a head man to put over the Manyemas ; you 
yourself say you will turn back (should you go with me), 
if any serious loss is threatened to your men ; the only 
thing left for me to do now is to get a canoe at once 
and go to Bangala. If I find the reply from the Com- 
mittee to be ' go on at all hazards,' I will return at once 
and start with your men myself. If I find that it does 
not tell me to go on at all hazards, I will send Mr. Ward 
with a telegram to Banana stating my present position, 
your proposals, and asking for orders." In this case, 
I told him, I should return with the steamer, which 
ought to arrive in about a fortnight. Tippu-Tib then 
agreed to make his men at Unaria carry all their loads to 



364 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

Au ust 7 Yarracombi with Mr. Bonny, and there to dismiss his men 
Stanley* ^^ business closo by, they being paid only for carrying to 
Falls. Unaria, and from Unaria to Yarracombi, so that in case 
they were required again they could be called together 
in two days' time. He also agreed to find me canoes 
and men to go to Bangala. One of my men told me 
that it took Mr. Ward silx days and six nights to reach 
Bangala from Yalisula, and that after passing the mouth 
of the Aruwimi we could buy food at all villages. 

August Sth. — Tippu-Tib the first thing this morning 
told me he did not think he would have the canoes 
ready till to-morrow, so I told him if he did not it was 
no use my going. He gave me his word they would 
be ready. Reminded him about four times in the day. 
Crossed over to the Belgian Station before breakfast to 
ask Mons. Haneuse to give me a letter to the captain 
of the Stanley, authorising him, if I met the steamer 
within one day of Bangala, to return there with me, 
and bring me up again. Baert told me that, according 
to the State laws, no Zanzibaris could be taken to 
Bangala, for fear of their telling the Arabs the road. As 
if this would affect them in the least should the Arabs 
wish to go there! Mons. Haneuse was not in, so I 
returned and wrote two formal letters of application, 
asking him to let the Zanzibaris go, and to write to the 
captain of the Stanley for me ; took these over, and 
Mons. Haneuse said he would give me both the letters 
I required. Tippu-Tib keeps getting in pieces of 
Expedition cloth from all over the country, He has at 
last discovered the refuge of the runaway Zanzibaris, 
viz. Said bin Habib's village behind Yatuka. He has 
sent men down there with the promise that they shall 
recover a number before I return. 



[Vide Mr. Stanley's charge of desertion against 
Jameson, in ' Darkest Africa,' vol. ii. page 15 : — " Mr. 
Jameson's letter from Stanley Falls arrived. Though 



STANLEY'S LETTER. 365 

the letter stated he purposed to descend to Bangala, 
the messenger reported that he was likely to proceed 
to Banana Point, but whether Banana Point or Ban- 
gala mattered v^ery little. When he descended from 
Stanley Palls, he deliberately severed himself from the 
Expedition, and no inducement would tempt me to 
remain in the neighbourhood of Banalya ... I wrote a 
letter, however, to Mr. Jameson, wherein I suggested 
that if he could muster sixty men, and immediately 
follow our blazed path, which was too broad to be mis- 
takeUft he might easily overtake our large column, 
marcl ing in single file through the forest, along a road, 
bristling with obstacles, of sloughs, marshes, creeks, 
and rivers . . . ." 

The letter itself is as follows : — 

To J. S. Jameson. 

One March above Banalya. 
August 30th, 1888. 

Dear Sir, 

I know that Bonny has written to you about my 
arrival, so I may be brief. Arriving at Banalya 17th 
inst. I have been busy ever since reorganising the 
Expedition, which I found to be in a terrible state. 
To-day the second march from Banalya has begun, and 
we shall continue on. Bonny showed me your letter of 
the 12th inst., wherein you stated it to be your purpose 
to go to Bangala. 

I cannot make out why the Major, you, Troup, and 
Ward have been so demented — demented is the word. 
You understand English ; an English letter of instruc- 
tions was given you. You said it was intelligible — yet 
for some reason or another you have not followed one 
paragraph. You paid £1,000 to go on this Expedition ; 
you have voluntarily thrown your money away by leaving 
the Expedition. Ward is not a whit better; he has 
acted all through, as I hear, more like an idiot than a 
sane being. You have left me naked. I have no 
clothes, no medicine ; I will say nothing of my soap 



366 STOBT OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

and candles, photograph apparatus and chemicals, two 
silver watches, a cap, and a score of other trifles. You 
believed I was dead, yet yon brought along my boots, 
and two hats, and a flannel jacket. You believed the 
Expedition had gone to Ujiji, yet you took Stairs' and 
the other officers' goods along. Is not this rather 
inconsistent \ 

I shall proceed along the S. bank of the river for 
nearly two months, and then cross the river to the N. 
bank, thence straight to the Nyanza. If you can bring 
my kit with you, you are welcome to go on with us if 
you can catch us up. Forty guns will take you along 
safely to the point when we cross the river. Emin 
Pasha is quite well. All our officers are well. We 
have lost none. We have lost 50 per cent, of men. I 
came from the Nyanza in eighty- two days, and from 
our fort in sixty-one days. 

Our track will be quite clear, as a highway, two 
marches from Banalya, or, as you call it, Unaria, it will 
be white all the way to the crossing. If you can find 
where we landed on the N. bank, — it will be one march 
above Nepoko confluence with the Aruwimi, — ^you will 
be able to follow us with 40 guns. With less it would 
be dangerous. 

The plains are 25 marches firom the crossing place. 
Splendid game country, game of all kinds. I have left 
all the officers at Fort Bodo, except Jephson, who is 
with Emin Pasha. 

Though, — as reported to me, — you and all of you seem 
to have acted like madmen, — your version may modify 
my opinion. Therefore I write this brief note to you in 
the midst of bustle and hurry. 

Yours truly, 

(Signed) Henry M. Stanley. 

Jameson never received this letter; it arrived after 
his death and was sent home. Comment upon Mr. 
Stanley's charge against Jameson, his description of 
his own letter, and the letter itself, would be super- 
fluous. — Ed.] 




A Canoe Journey. 



CHAPTER X. 

August 9th to August 18th. 
Last Journey. — Mr. Ward's diarj. — Death. 



August dth. — Left Stanley Falls for Bangala. Did not 1888. 
get away until nearly mid-day, one canoe not arriving -^^^^^^ ^• 
until very late. Started vs^ith six Zanzibaris, two boys, 



368 STOBT OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 

August 9. Fa^ani, fourteen Waganias, and two of Tippu's men in 
Last charge. Tippu-Tib promised me that everything would 

Journey, be right at Unaria. Muni Hamela and Salem Masudi 
leave for there to-morrow. I am sending Bonny two 
sacks of rice and twenty fowls. I had to write letters 
from Tippu-Tib to Mr. Greshoff, urging him to come up 
without delay, as there was a great quantity of ivory. 

August 10th, Friday. — Reached the Lumami River 
at daybreak. I was frightfully seedy, having caught 
cold inside after a big dose of medicine. Another 
delay here. One of the canoes I bought from Tippu 
leaked so much that I had to exchange it for one from 
Rachid. A great quantity of ivory arrived for him, and 
he could attend to nothing. Had the two canoes lashed 
together at last and four days' food on board, and started 
early in the afternoon. 

August 11th, Saturday. — After a long night's work 
found ourselves past the Aruwimi in the morning. 
The natives told us to-day, a long way below the mouth 
of the Aruwimi, that the Tamba-Tambas had killed a 
tremendous number of them on the south bank. This 
is where Rachid's enormous lot of ivory came from that 
I saw arrive yesterday. 1 had the greatest difficulty 
all day in qaieting the natives, who thought we were 
more Tamba-Tambas, and had to sit in the sun all day 
to let them see me, and speak with them. They are 
perfectly mad. 

August V2th, Sunday. — Got through the worst of the 
natives during the night. One very curious scene. 
Shot out of an open reach — fine clear night — into a 
dark narrow channel, not more than forty yards wide. 
All at once it became lit up with dozens of fires on 
both sides, throwing a bright light back into the forest 
and across the water. We glided on without a sound 
from us but the zip-zip of the paddles, drums beating, 
horns blowing, shouts and cries on every side, the 
white loin-cloths of our men showing plainly who 



DIARY. 369 

they were. Down this lane of fires and noise we went 1888. 
for nearly half a mile, when suddenly it opened out into -^"§"^^ ^^ 
a grand open reach of the river on our right, the fires, journey. 
drums, &c., going on for more than a mile away down on 
our left. I don't think T ever heard such a noise before. 
We shot out away to our right, and soon left all the 
tumult behind. What they thought of us I should like 
to know. This morning we passed a village, which one 
of my men tells me it took them three days to reach 
from Bangala in the steamer A. I. A. Here the natives 
came out in crowds, without spears or anything, and were 
wishing to sell us everything they had. Passed three 
large villages before sunset, but there was a strong 
head wind the whole day, which knocked us back 
frightfully. 



This vivid sketch of the weird night scene on the river 
was the last pencilled entry ever made in his diary by 
Jameson. The chill which he had contracted on the 10th 
August rapidly developed into hsematuric fever, and, 
although he made no complaint and wrote bravely as 
ever, he was then fighting his last battle with death. 
Unable to take nourishment of the coarse description 
which his Zanzibaris could ofier him, he touched 
nothing for all the days of the weary voyage, save one 
or two bananas and a cup of soup made from goat's 
fiesh. During the 11th and 12th, though able to write 
short pencil notes in his pocket-book, he was gradually 
sinking. For the next three days he lay dying in the 
canoe, with not a soul to help him, and could only 
murmur, " Quick ! paddle quick," to his men, who 
night and day paddled on down the mighty river, 
striving to reach Bangala in time to save their master's 
life. They reached it on the 16th, and Mr. Ward, who 
the day before had received the sad news of Major 
Barttelot's murder, was summoned hurriedly to the 
canoes, and lifted out the almost lifeless body of his 
dying comrade. 

2b 



370 



STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN, 




The Hotjse in which Mr. Jameson died at Ban gala. 



The following notes of the next two days are taken, 
by kind permission, from Mr. Ward's diary : — 



1888. 
A.ugust 16. 

Ban gala. 



August l^th. — We carried him up into Van Kerck- 
hoven's room ; he did not recognize me. I took his 
hand, his eyes were half closed, and his skin a ghastly 
yellow colour. . . . When laid on the bed, he regained 
consciousness, and said, " Oh, Ward, is that you ? " and 
again became insensible. With the aid of my Zanzi- 
bari servant Msa, I bathed him carefully in warm water 



after which he brightened up, and took some 
Madeira and chicken soup. He said that he had had 
an awful journey down from Stanley Falls, exposed to 
tornadoes of wind and rain, lying helpless in the canoe. 
Being too feeble to converse, he only made occasional 
remarks about his illness. He once said, " You know. 
Ward, if I could only get a square show at this sick- 
ness, I should be all right." He slept fairly well during 
the night, but had several attacks of spasms. I 
remained beside him all night. 



DIARY. 373 

August 17th. — His pulse was feeble, and he could . ^^^^ 



not retain his senses for more than a minute or two, 
and could only take a spoonful of soup at long intervals. 
Every quarter of an hour or so, he came to, and, with 
a faint smile of recognition, stretched out his hand and 
clasped mine, as if by so doing he steadied his nerves, 
and looking at me once, he said, " You're so well and 
clean-looking that it does me good to look at you." 
His reply to almost every question was a feeble " Splen- 
did ! " and to inquiries about his condition, " Oh ! 
in-fi-nitely better," but so feeble, and such an effort to 
utter it, that he relapsed after every answer into un- 
consciousness. 

1 P.M. I asked him just now if he was in any pain. 
" No, old chap, no pain, only tired — Oh ! so tired. I 
think it's time to turn in ; it's so dark — so tired," and 
again became unconscious. — 3 p.m. I have given him 
nourishment upon every occasion, but he does not rally, 
and only gets feebler. — 6 p.m. Daruru and I put hot 
bricks round him, as his extremities have grown cold. 
He grows weaker and weaker. The drums just now 
sounded to knock off work in the Station, he opened 
his eyes and stared at me, clutching my hands, and 
said, with a husky voice, '' Ward ! Ward ! they're 
coming ; listen ! " (and as the drums rumbled in the 
distance), "Yes! they're coming — now let's stand to- 
gether." He was thinking of the drums calling the 
savages to fight him, while he drifted down the river 
past the villages. 

7.20. His pulse grows weaker and weaker. — 7.30. As 
I supported him to administer brandy, he drew a long 
breath, and his pulse stopped. 

August ISth. — I walked about until daylight quite 
beside myself with sadness. . . . My " Union Jack " 
covered the coffin, which was borne to the canoe by 
four Houssa soldiers, and we all proceeded across the 
river in the early morning, without a sound but the 
splashing of the paddles. Upon arriving at the opposite 



August 17. 



374 



STOEY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 



1888. 
August 18. 

Bangala. 



shore, we bore the coffin to the grave, and I read a 
chapter from the Bible. His resting-place is at the 
foot of a giant cotton tree, on the island opposite 
Bangala, one thousand miles from the sea. 




Photogeaph of Gkave. 



"MY JUSTIFICATION;"* 

OK 

THE LIGHT OP EQUATORIAL AFRICA," 

SLIGHTLY ALTEKED FEOM 

"THE LIGHT OF ASIA." 
(With Apologies to Sir Edwin Aen-old.) 



Unto this 
Came I, and unto this all nights and days 
Have led me ; for I cancot lead that life 
Which may be mine — a life of empty pleasure 
Which clogs the little spirit still within me. 
My days shall not roll on with even wheels 
From month to month, and year to year, till death 
Ends the whole record of my name : I choose 
Another life, to which that spirit leads me. 
Making the dust my bed, the loneliest wastes 
My dwelling, and the meanest men my mates ; 
Clad in no woven garbs that mashers wear, 
Fed with no savoury meats from cooks of France, 
Mazed with no wine, sheltered by no more pomp 
Than the thin canvas or the jungle bush. 
How hath it steaded men to live and think 
Of dining, drinking, sport, and lovely women, 
To dress themselves for empty show, to rear 
The stately house, to feed their so-called friends 
And list to empty words of flattery 
Ascending day by day like wasted smoke ? 
Hath any of my town friends 'scaped thereby 
The slow dull sinking into withered age ? — 
Lighted by no bright thoughts of times gone by, 
But sick to death of every thing they see, 
FiUed with cravings for some pleasures new 
Which have their end in the old mockeries ! 

* Written by Jameson in a letter dated Yambuya Camp, June 8th, 1888. — Ed. 



376 STOEY OF TEE BEAR COLUMN, 

Truly, it may be some of them are good— 

And evil some, but all in action weak : 

Both pitiful and pitiless, and all 

"Without a past to dwell upon when they 

Can no more lead that life which is their being. 

Man is not put upon this earth to live, 

And spend, what others toil to make, on pleasures : 

There must be work, there must be work for all. 

What good gift have my brothers, but it came 

Prom search and strife, and loving sacrifice ? 

If one, then, being rich and fortunate. 

Young, dowered with health and ease, from birth designed 

To live, if he would live, just as he chose — 

If one not tired with life's long day, but glad 

r the freshness of Ite morning, one not cloyed 

With love's deliciotis feasts, but hungry still — 

If one not worn and wrinkled, sadly sage. 

But joyous in the glory and the grace 

Of living here below, with loving wife, 

A little child, and many many friends — 

If such a one, having so much to leave, 

Left all, going forth to do some work 

He felt was noble, and he fitted for, 

Surely, at last, far off, sometime, somewhere. 

His recompense would come, and he would meet 

His death with no regrets for deeds not done ! 




APPENDIX I. 

Contract between 

1, James S. Jameson, agree to accompany the Erain Pif^sba 
Relief Expedition, and place myself under the command of 
Mr. H. M. Stanley, the leader of the Expedition, and to 
accept any post or position in that Expedition which he may 
assign to me. 

I further agree to serve him loyally and devotedly, to obey 
all his orders, and to use my utmost endeavours to bring the 
Expedition to a successful issue. 

I also agree to pay the sum of One Thousand Pounds to the 
credit of the Emin Pasha Relief Expedition at Messrs. Ransome, 
Bouverie, and Sims, No. 1 Pall Mail, and to pay expenses of 
my passage from and to England, and to forfeit the above 
mentioned sum of £1,000 if I leave the Expedition through 
sickness or my own free will. 

For the above I am to receive a due share of the European 
provisions provided for the Expedition, and also a share of 
native provisions purchased in the country ; also 1 Winchester 
Rifle and 1 Revolver, with ammunition for the same. 

I also undertake not to publish anything connected with the 
Expedition, or to send any account to the newspapers, for six 
months after the issue of the official publication of the Expe- 
dition by the leader or his representative. 

(^Signed) JAMES S. JAMESON. 

Approved, 
HENRY M. STANLEY, 

Jan. 20tb, 1887. 

Witnesses^' ^^ ^^^'^^^^ Col. 
LWiLLiAM Hoffmann. 



378 STOBT OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

APPENDIX II. 

Copy of Letter of Instructions from Mr. Stanley, Commanding 
Ewpedition, to Major Barttelot. 

Major Barttelot^s Appointment as Commander of Stockaded 
Camp at Yambuya Village, Aruwimi Rapids. 

June 24th, 1887. 
To Major Barttelot, ^c. ^c. 8^c. 
Sir, 

As the senior o£ those officers accompanying me on the 
Emin Pasha Relief Expedition, the Command of this important 
Post naturally devolves upon you. It is also for the interest 
of this Expedition that you accept this Command, from the 
fact that your Soudanese Company being only soldiers, and 
more capable of garrison duty than the Zanzibaris, will be 
better utilized here than on the road. 

The steamer Stanley left Yambuya on the 22nd of this 
month for Stanley Pool. If she meets with no mischance, she 
ought to be at Leopoldville on the 2nd July. In two days 
ipore she will be loaded with about 500 loads of our goods 
which were left in charge of Mr. J. R. Troup. This gentleman 
will embark, and on the 4th July I assume that the Stanley 
will commence the ascent of the river and arrive at Bolobo on 
the 9th July. Fuel being ready, the 125 men in charge of 
Messrs. Ward and Bonny, now at Bolobo, will embark, and the 
steamer will continue her journey. She will be at Bangala on 
the 19th July, and arrive on the 31st July. Of course the 
lowness of the river in that month may delay her a few days, 
but having great confidence in her Captain, you may certainly 
expect her before the 10th August. 

It is the non-arrival of these goods which compels me to 
appoint you as Commandant of this Post. But as I shall 
shortly expect the arrival of a strong re-inforcement of men, 
greatly exceeding the Advance Force, which must at all hazards 
push on to the rescue of Emin Pasha, I hope you will not be 
detained longer than a few days after the departure of the 
Stanley on her final return to Stanley Pool in August. 

Meantime, pending the arrival of our men and goods, it 



APPENDIX II. 379 

behoves you to be very alert and wary in the Command of this 
Stockaded Camp. Though the Camp is favourably situated and 
naturally strong, a brave enemy would find it no difficult task 
to capture if the Commandant is lax in discipline, vigour, and 
energy. Therefore I feel sure that I have made a wise choice 
in selecting you to guard our interests here during our absence. 
The interests now entrusted to you are of vital importance to 
this Expedition. The men you will eventually have under you 
consist of more than an entire 3rd of the Expedition. The 
goods that will be brought up are the currency needed for 
transit through the regions beyond the Lakes ; there will be a 
vast gtore of ammunition and provisions, which are of equal 
importance to us. The loss then of these men and goods 
would be certain ruin to us, and the Advance Force would need 
to solicit relief in its turn. Therefore, weighing this matter 
well, I hope you will spare no pains to maintain order and 
discipline in your Camp and make your defences complete, and 
keep them in such a condition that however brave an enemy 
may be he can make no impression on them. For this latter 
purpose I would recommend you to make a ditch of 6 ft. wide 
3 ft. deep, leading from the natural ditch where the spring is 
round the Stockade. A platform like that on the Southern 
side of the Camp, constructed near the Eastern as well as the 
Western Gate, would be of advantage to the strength of the 
Camp. For remember it is not the natives alone who may 
wish to assail you, but the Arabs and their followers may 
through some cause or other quarrel with you and assail your 
Camp. Our course from here will be true East or by Magnetic 
Compass East by S. as near as possible. Certain marches 
that we may take may not exactly lead in the direction aimed 
at^ nevertheless it is the South-west corner of Lake Albert, 
near or at Kavalli, that is o«r destination. When we arrive 
there we will form a strong Camp in the neighbourhood, launch 
our boat and steer for Ki bero, in Unyoro^ to hear from Signor 
Casati, if there, of the condition of Emin Pasha. If the latter 
is alive and in the neighbourhood of the Lake, we shall com- 
municate with him, and our after conduct must be guided by 
what we learn of the intentions of Emin Pasha. We may 

2c2 



380 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

assume that we shall not be longer than a fortnight with him 
before deciding on our return towards this Camp along the 
same route traversed by us when going East. 

We will endeavour^ by blazing trees and cutting saplings 
along our road^ to leave sufficient traces of the route taken by 
us. We shall always take by preference tracks leading east- 
wards. Aut all crossways, where paths intersect, we shall hoe 
up and make a hole a few inches deep across all paths not used 
by us, besides blazing trees when possible. 

It may happen, should Tippu-Tib have sent the full number 
of adults promised by him to me, viz., 600 men (able to carry 
loads), and the Stanley has arrived safely with the 125 men 
left by me at Bolobo, that you will feel yourself sufficiently 
competent to march the column, with all the goods brought by 
the Stanley and those left by me at Yambuya, along the road 
pursued by me. In that event, which would be very desirable, 
you will follow closely our route, and before many days we 
should most assuredly meet. No doubt you will find our 
bomas intact and standing, and you should endeavour to make 
your marches so that you could utilize these as you marched. 
Better guides than these bomas of our route could not be 
made. If you do not meet them in the course of two days^ 
march, you may rest assured that you are not on our route. 

It may happen, also, that although Tippu-Tib has sent some 
men, he has not sent enough men to carry the goods with your 
own force. In that case, of course you will use your discretion 
as to what goods you can dispense with to enable you to march. 
Tor this purpose you should study your list attentively. 

1st. Ammunition especially fixed is most important. 

2nd. Beads, brass wire, and cowries rank next. 

3rd. Private baggage. 

4th. Powder and caps. 

5th. European provisions. 

6th. Brass rods as used on the Congo. 

7th. Provisions (rice, beans, peas, mettammeh, biscuits) . 

Therefore you must consider after those, sacking, tools, 

such as shovels (never discard an axe or a bill-hook), how 

many sacks of provisions you can distribute among your men 



APPENDIX II. 381 

to enable you to march,, — whether half of the brass rods in your 
boxes could not go also, and there stop. If you still cannot 
march, then it would be better to make marches of 6 miles 
twice over, if you prefer marching to staying for our arrival, 
than throw too many things away. 

With the Stanley's final departure from Yambuya, you 
should not fail to send a report to Mr. William Mackinnon, of 
Gray, Dawes, and Co., 13 Austin Friars, London, of what has 
happened at your Camp in my absence, of when I started away 
Eastward ; whether you have heard of or from me at all ; when 
you do expect to hear, and what you propose doing. You should 
also send him a true copy of this order, that the Relief Com- 
mittee may judge for themselves whether you have acted or 
purpose to act judiciously. 

Your present garrison shall consist of eighty rifles, and from 
forty to fifty supernumeraries. The Stanley is to bring you, 
within a few weeks, fifty more rifles and seventy- five super- 
numeraries under Messrs. Troup, Ward, and Bonny. 

I associate Mr. J. S. Jameson with you at present. Messrs. 
Troup, Ward, and Bonny will submit to your authority. In 
the ordinary duties of the defence and ccmduct of the Camp or 
of the march, there is only one chief — which is yourself ; but 
should any vital step be proposed to be taken, I beg you will 
take the voice of Mr. Jameson also ; and when Messrs. Troup 
and Ward are here pray admit them to your confidence and let 
them speak freely their opinions. 

I think I have written very clearly upon everything that 
strikes me as necessary. Your treatment of the natives, I 
suggest, should depend entirely upon their conduct to you. If 
they do not molest you, suffer them to return to the neigh- 
bouring villages in peace ; and if you can in any manner, by 
moderation, small gifts occasionally of brass rods, &c., hasten 
an amicable intercourse, I should recommend your doing so. 
Lose no opportunity of gaining all kinds of information 
respecting the natives, the position of the various villages in 
your neighbourhood, &c., &c. 

I have the honour to be. 

Your obedient servant, 
[Signed) HENRY M. STANLEY, 
Commr. Expedition. 



382 STOBY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 



APPENDIX III. 

Extract from a Letter to Andrew Jameson, Esq 

Entrenched Camp, 

YamLuya; Aruwimi Kapids, 

Auf^. 7th, 1887. 

Having quoted Mr. Stanley^s letter of instructions to Major 
Barttelot, Jameson goes on to say : — 

" Well, suppose the Stanley arrived here on the lOtli of 
August, and Tippu-Tib^s men were here (which tliey are not 
yet), and we started, say on the 17tli, and did ten miles a day 
(Mr. Stanley only proposed doing twelve on his forced march 
when he left us). We have, roughly speaking, 400 miles to 
do, and it would take us forty days, or until the 1st October, 
giving us four days for delays. Say we started for Zanzibar 
in a fortnight, or the 14th October, and it tal^es us six months 
to reach Zanzibar, that would be the 14th April; then 
supposing all these things happened quite smoothly, I should 
get home by June in next year, or, if we missed the mail at 
Zanzibar, July. Again, if Tippu-Tib^s people do not turn up 
(which I shall know before this letter leaves, as if they do not 
come before then, there is little chance of their coming at all), 
— in that case we should have to wait here until late in 
November or the beginning of December, when Mr. Stanley 
would return with his men from Lake Albert to help us carry all 
the goods up there. (He will start to return here in any case, 
as he cannot know whether Tippu's people have come or not ; 
if they have, we shall meet him on the road, and he will turn, 
and we will all go on together.) Say we could leave here by the 
middle of December, and reach the Lake in the first week of 
February, leaving the Lake finally in the third week of that 
month, we should reach Zanzibar in the third week of August, 
and get home in October. In neither of those cases, with or 
without Tippu-Tib^s men, have I allowed any time for his 
exploration of Lake Muta Nzige. He himself, I believe, thinks 
we may be home any time between June and September next 
year. However, there is one thing certain, that I cannot be 



APPENDIX III. 383 

home before June in next year in any case. As regards 
myself, tlie whole trip has been a vast sell. I have not had a 
single chance the whole time of collecting, drawing, or doing 
anything but the duties of a slave-driver. I have never been 
on any trip which was so much like a funeral : no fun, all damp- 
ness, and this is greatly owing to Stanley himself, for no matter 
how hard you work, or how well you do a thing, you get no 
thanks, no encouragement, no cheery words, nothing but blame 
and hard words, from him. I know, to give the devil his due, 
that his anxiety and worry of mind, besides the immense 
amount of things he has to think about, are immense, but he 
ought not to be so single-minded and visit it upon us poor 
devils. One cannot help admiring the man for his tremendous 
strength of will, and power of overcoming all difficulties, also 
for his great pluck, but he is a man one could never make a 
friend of. My time here has been the happiest I have had 
since leaving Banana, for the Major and I pull well together, 
and I am gradually getting over the feeling I had of bitter 
disappointment at being left here. The natives have only 
killed one man (one of the Soudanese), whom they stabbed 
with a spear in the stomach. We have had eight deaths from 
sickness, however, and a good many more are little better than 
dead. It is not easy, with not a single thing to cheer one, to 
pick up when you are low, after a dose of fever, but, thank 
Heaven, I do not have one often. I had one bad dose whilst 
shooting hippos, for I had to spend the whole day in a broiling 
sun, partly on the water and partly on sand-banks, all the 
time without a bit of shade, and sleep in a swamp at night. 
This fever kept coming back to me for some time, but at 
present I am in splendid health, and when marching I am 
always well. I think Barttelot and I were the only two who 
were not sick for a single day on the whole march from 
Matadi to Stanley Pool. There is a comic side to everything 
however, and I have often laughed heartily since at what 
annoyed me most at the time. . . '* 



384 UTOBY OF THE REAR COLUMN. - 

APPENDIX IV. 

Entrenched Camp, 

Yambuya, Aruwimi Eiver, 
Aug. 15th, 1837. 
Dear Mr. Bates, 

I am sorry to tell you that all my dreams of col* 
lecting have proved only dreams after all, for my duties 
have been such that they entirely stopped all my chances of 
collecting. I have, however, picked up a few butterflies*, 
which I hope will interest Lepidopterists, and which I will ask 
you to be kind enough to keep for me until my return, when 
we will have a long chat about them, and when I will bring 
you the notes in my Diary about them. Please be careful to 
keep the numbers aud letters on each paper attached to the 
butterflies, as they correspond to the numbers in my Diary. 
L. C. stands for Lower Congo, U. C. for Upper Congo, and A. 
for Aruwimi R. In my Diary of course I have the localities 
much more clearly specified. I am awfully disappointed with 
the beetles, having heard so much about the wonderful quantity 
and quality in the regions of the Congo. I unfortunately 
found on putting spirits into the zinc bottles which I bought 
in London that they leaked and were of no use. Luckily I 
had a large silver flask with me which holds a quart ; this I 
filled with spirits which a Dutch gentleman at Kinshassa was 
kind enough to give me, and have been popping a beetle into 
it every now and again ever since. When I get home, I will 
hand over to you all its treasures. I have really had no 
chance whatever of collecting, as I will show you by my Diary 
when I get back. I certainly did expect a little sport, but 
that also has proved a myth. Mr. Stanley would not allow 
me a single extra carrier to take my collecting things, and the 
consequence was I had to give away all my pipes, tobacco, and 
lots of clothes, and take the smallest possible quantity of any- 
thing in order to carry the few things I did. It was rather 
hard lines on me, as the other officers of course had to carry 
nothing of the kind. Some of the butterflies are very beau- 
tiful, but I was rather disappointed with the scarcity of new 

* This collection was entrusted to Messrs. F. D. Godman and 0. Salvin 
for determination. 



APPENDIX V. 385 

species here differing from those on the Congo. Ton must 
tell me a lot about both the beetles and butterflies when we 
meet, which will certainly not be before June or July at the 
earliest. The few specimens of birds I got, I have sent to 
Mr. Bowdler Sharpe, of the Natural History Museum, South 
Kensington. You may imagine that if it was difficult to 
collect butterflies and beetles, how much more so it was to 
collect birds. How often, when toiling along and driving the 
Zanzibaris with their loads, like slaves, I have seen gorgeous 
specimens of all sorts of insect and bird life, and not been 
able to stir one foot out of the way to gather them. Please 
tell Mr. Sclater when you see him that I have not seen a single 
antelope of any kind, and no game except hippopotami. As 
far as I can see, there will be no better chance between this 
and Zanzibar. It will be one long time of driving niggers 
and their loads, and the only thing one does collect at that 
game is a bad temper. By the time you get this I suppose 
you will have seen all Mr. Stanley's report of our progress so 
far, but I hope to have many pleasant talks with you about it 
all. I am sending the butterflies home with Mr. Walker, the 
engineer of the Expedition, who is going straight home, as, 
thank goodness, we have now done with the steamers. I must 
now say good-bye, as the steamer leaves to-morrow, and I have 
a large number of letters still unwritten. Trusting to find you 
none the worse for the horrible winter I hear you have had, 
I remain, sincerely yours, 

{Signed) JAMES S. JAMESON. 



APPENDIX V. 

Letter of Instructions from Major Barttelot. 

Camp, Yambuja Village, 

Aruwimi Falls, 
Aug. 19th, 1887. 
To Mr, Jameson, 

Sir, 

Owing to information received, I have determined to 



386 STORY OF THE BEAU COLUMN, 

send you with a party of these Arabs of Tippu-Tib^s^ who 
have their camp above us^ to the Stanley Falls_, Congo^ where 
Tippu-Tib now is. 

The object for which I am sending you is this : that 
having ascertained that through an error the men did not 
come here, you will inform Tippu-Tib that we are still here, 
and that if Tippu-Tib is still willing, and will allow the men 
to come without delay, the agreement of Zanzibar will still 
hold good. 

You, and you alone, will hold speech with Tippu-Tib; 
Mr. Ward, who accompanies you, being Solely as a witness. 

You will take Bartholomew as an interpreter, and will use 
him and no other, more especially Salem. Should Tippu-Tib 
allow the men to go, you and Mr. Ward will wait at the 
Falls till such time as the men start, when you will start with 
them. After one day's march out, you will send Mr. Ward on 
ahead with orders to proceed to this Camp with all dispatch ; 
you yourself accompanying the men to this Camp. 

By Mr. Ward you will send me a letter of what you have 
done. 

It may be that you come across the Arabs intended for us 
on your way to the Falls, in which event you will ask them 
whether they are willing to come back at once, but do not try 
to coerce them. Should they be willing to come back at once, 
there will be no necessity for your going to the Falls ; and 
you and Mr. Ward will accompany them back, and, as in 
the former case, after one day^s march, you will send 
Mr. Ward on, with all dispatch, with a letter. Should they 
not be willing to come, or say they will come shortly, you will 
go on to the Falls and acquaint Tippu-Tib of their whereabouts, 
as it may aid him to collect them. Remember 600 men, able 
to carry loads, is the number. In either the former or the 
second case, you will inform Tippu-Tib, or the men, that the 
powder and the caps are here ; the Arabs who are with you 
having had ocular demonstration of it. 

Should your mission be unsuccessful, you will, after resting 
yourselves and Arabs, come back here without delay. 

Remember that expedition is all to us, and use all your 



APPENDIX ri. 387 

endeavours, should you obtain the men, to proceed with all 
speed to this Camp. Do not force them, but persuade. 
1 have the honour to be. Sir, 

Your most obedient servant, 

EDMUND M. BAUTTELOT, Major, 
Commanding Camp, Yambuya Village, Aruwimi Falls. 



APPENDIX VI. 



Camp, Yambuya Village, 

Aruwimi Falls, 

Aug. 19th, 1887. 

Tg Sseik Hamed bin Masommeb, my Friend^ 

I, Major Barttelot, sending greeting, knowing that you 
are willing to aid Mr. Stanley in his expedition, and that it 
was through error that the 600 men you had already sent 
did not come here to me, but turned back, thinking we had 
gone away, I venture to solicit your aid by asking you to send 
me the 600 men back again. 

The powder and caps are here, and we are all ready to 
start. 

I have sent Mr. Jameson in my place, as I could not come 
myself ; indeed, I am far from well, having had but little to 
eat, and suffering from fever. 

It was through your Arabs that we heard of the mistake, 
and it is they who have undertaken to escort Mr. Jameson and 
Mr. Ward to you, for which they shall be amply repaid. 

Trusting you are in good health, also Sheik Selim Mahommed, 
to whom I send greeting, and that you will do me the honour 
to accept the small present I am sending you by Mr. Jameson, 
I am your faithful friend, 
[Signed) EDMUND M. BARTTELOT, Major. 



388 8T0BY OF TEE BEAK COLUMN. 

APPENDIX VII. 

Agreements between Muni Somai and 

{Major Barttelot, 
Mr. Jameson. 

I. 

Stanley Falls, 

May 24tli, 1888. 
Ij the undersigned^ Muni Somai, hereby agree for the sum of 
£1,000 (one thousand pounds sterling), 600 dollars or £120 
(one hundred and twenty pounds sterling) to be paid to me 
in goods of that value before our departure from Yambuya 
Camp, to faithfully serve Major Barttelot in my capacity of the 
commander of the 400 men supplied to the Emin Pasha Relief 
Expedition by Sheik Hamed bin Mahommed, and to accom- 
pany him with these men as far as Wadelai, or whatever place 
short of that it may be necessary for Major Barttelot to go to in 
his quest of Emin Pasha and Mr. Stanley, and to return from 
thence with the aforesaid men with him (Major Barttelot), or 
whatever white officer he may appoint, by the nearest route 
to the territory of Sheik Hamed bin Mahommed after he. 
Major Barttelot, considers his relief of Emin Pasha or 
Mr. Stanley, or both, to have been accomplished ; and I also 
agree, in case of Major Barttelot being rendered incapable of 
continuing his command, to fulfil all the above conditions, 
under whatever white officer he. Major Barttelot, may appoint. 

HAMED BIN MAHOMMED. 

MUNI SOMAI. 
W^itnessed, 

(Edmund Barttelot. 
James S. Jameson. 



Signed < 



XL 

Stanley Falls. 

May 24th, 1888. 
We, the undersigned. Major Barttelot, Commander Rear-guard 
of the Emin Pasha Relief Expedition, and Mr. James S. 
Jameson, officer of the same, hereby agree to pay to Muni 
Somai the sum of £1,000 (600 dollars of which sum to be paid 



APPENDIX nil. 389 

to him in goods of that value before our departure from Yam- 
buya Camp) under the following conditions : — 

That he, Muni Somai, faithfully serves and obeys Major 
Barttelot, in his (Muni Somai^s) capacity of leader of the 400 
men supplied by Sheik Hamed bin Mahommed to the Emin 
Pasha Relief Expedition, and to accompany him with these men 
to Wadelai, or whatever place short of that he, Major Barttelot, 
may have to go to in his quest of Emin Pasha or Mr. Stanley, 
and that he. Muni Somai, returns with these men under 
Major Barttelot, or whatever white officer he may appoint, 
by the shortest route to the Territory of Sheik Hamed bin 
Mahommed, at whatever time he, Major Barttelot, may con- 
sider his relief of Emin Pasha or Mr. Stanley, or of both, 
to have been accomplished, and that he. Muni Somai, also 
agrees, in case of Major Barttelot being rendered incapable 
of continuing his Command^ to fulfil all the above conditions, 
under whatever white officer he, Major Barttelot, may appoint. 

The said Muni Somai having fulfilled all the above con- 
ditions, we, the undersigned. Major Barttelot and Mr. J. S. 
Jameson, agree to pay him the remaining sum, £880, as soon 
as possible after our return to Zanzibar or Banana Point. 

^. ,r EDMUND M. BARTTELOT. 
'^""^ I J. S. JAMESON. 

Witnesses : 
/Tippu-TiB. 
CMuNi Somai. 



APPENDIX VIIT. 

June 25, 1888, 
• Village Wobari. 
Dear Jameson, 

You will not be surprised to hear I am off to 
Tippu-Tib. Four more men, three loads and rifles, and my boy 
Sadi with my revolver and knife, have deserted. The latter I 
caught here ; he says he was with the others, but they ran 
away from him. One of them is that man Jalu, who was with 
Munich audi. We cannot go on losing rifles like this ; we shall 
soon be destitute. The loads that went last were a box of pro- 
visions (not ours), the last of the assorted cloth, and the pot of 



390 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 

gee (?) . That more meu intend to desert I know_, so I have 
deprived them o£ their rifles. I want you to get Muni Somai 
to let you have sixty men_, good men, to go back with you to 
where Bonny is_, which cannot be far from Nasoro bin Saef s, 
to help bring up the loads and rifles and to act as guards to the 
Zanzibaris, then go on together to Abdulla^s and wait me. I 
am going to the Falls to ask Tippu either for sixty Manyemas 
or for slaves ; if the former I will arm them with the Zanzi- 
baris^ rifles, so please make Muni Somai understand that he is 
not to keep the rifles you get from Bonny. You had better get 
a guide to go with you to take you from where Bonny is to 
Nasoro's. I am sending Muni Hamesi to show you B/s camp. 
I passed two of your camps to-day _, leaving Bonny yesterday. 
In the first the fires were alight. You appear to have gone the 
same road I did; if so, it ends in a block, where you will 
find one of our camps. By going up that stream to the N.W. 
I hit off a road crossing it to the N.E., and that is the road I 
have pursued. There are many villages, plenty of food, and 
good road to the N. and N.E., and well blazed. I am sure it 
is the right one. 

Sala, so everyone says, knows where our men are. I have 
sent a Soudanese on to search his village to-night. Make it 
clear to Muni Somai the sixty men he sends will have to help 
carry loads, as we shall at least be ten men short, if not more. 
Do not give more than two rounds apiece to the men who get 
the rifles. Make the remainder up into loads, — 400 rounds = 
1 load, — and give it to Zanzibaris and put them under Soudanese 
escort. If you had been with us, I should have sent you, but 
it is imperative some one should go, and Bonny, owing to his 
slowness &c., is not available. It is useless for me to tell you 
about speed, for you always do your utmost, but we must have 
men to help carry the loads. In case you should have gone on 
to AbdulWs, I am leaving another letter for you at Nasoro^s. 
Hoping you are well. 

Yours very sincerely, 

EDMUND M. BARTTELOT. 

Impress on Muni Somai the necessity of his aid. I go 
straight to Abdulla^s from the Falls, and shall be there about 
July 14th. 



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vJiNM^c) /5\;kUI^^ ^(^^^ I 



APPENDIX XI. 391 

APPENDIX X. 

Final Agreement drafted by Mr. J. S. Jameson. 
1, the undersigned Sheik Hamed bin Mahommed bin Dhuma, 
agree, for the sum of ^^20,000 (twenty thousand pounds ster- 
ling) to faithfully serve and obey Mr. James S. Jameson in my 
capacity of Commander of the four hundred men supplied by 
me to the Emin Pasha Relief Expedition, and to accompany 
him with those men as far as Wadelai or to whatever place 
short of that it may be necessary for Mr. James S. Jameson to 
go to in his quest of Emin Pasha and Mr. Stanley, and until 
such time as he, Mr. James S. Jameson considers his relief of 
Emin Pasha or Mr. Stanley, or both, to have been accomplished. 
And I also agree, in case of Mr. James S. Jameson being 
rendered incapable of continuing his command, to fulfil all the 
above conditions under whatever white officer he, Mr. James S. 

Jameson, may appoint. 

{Signed) 



APPENDIX XI. 

Tippu-Tib's Letter. 
To the excellent J beloved, honoured Friend the 
Englishman, Andrew Jameson, 

He who loves you in all that is beneficial for man 
is, as I trust you also are, in the favour of God. May the 
same be with thee, through the goodness of the Lord, the 
Liberal, the Master of all things, the Merciful. We have 
heard of the sad decease of thy brother, our friend Jameson, in 
the environs of Bangala. I, the survivor of his so recent death, 
could scarcely refrain from tears of weakness, for he was my 
companion and loving friend, pure, courteous, wise, and sat 
with me and gave me rest in difficulties ; and I wish that his 
place with me in friendship, and love and tender aff'ection could 
be filled by you. Jameson, however, has not perished so long 
IS you remain in life. 

Do not, therefore, deprive him who loves you of the news of 
your honourable state, of every want of yours, of any service or 
order ; only let me know, and it shall be executed with obedience 
and good will. TIPPU-TIB. 

6 of Redjeb, 1888. 



NATURAL-HISTOEY APPENDIX. 



THE OENITHOLOGICAL WORK 



OF 



J. S. JAMESON. 



BY 
R. BOWDLER SHARPE, F.L.S. etc., 

ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT, BRITISH .MUSEUM. 



It must have teen in the year 1877 that I first made the 
acquaintance of my friend the late J. S. Jameson. I remember 
his coming in to my room at the British Museum and intro- 
ducing himself to me ; and a bright, good-looking young fellow 
he was. The conversation that ensued was somewhat as follows, 
as far as I can recollect : — 

" I am going to India, to travel and collect specimens of 
Natural History, and I want to know something about the 
birds, and if I can do anything for you.'' 

'^ What part of India are you going to ? '' 

'^ Well, I thought of going to Kashmir, where there is some 
big game in the shape of Deer and wild Sheep to be got, I 
fancy.'' 

'^ That seems a useless sort of thing to do. Why, having the 
time and the means, do you not go somewhere where you could 
make some really useful discoveries for science ? Kashmir is 
well known, comparatively speaking." 



OBNITHOLOOr. 393 

'^ That is what I should like to do, but I don't know how to 
set about it/' 

'^ Will you take my advice ? " 

'' Yes/' 

" Whereabouts in India are you bound for ? '^ 

'^Calcutta/' 

*' Good ! Now when you get to Calcutta^ instead of turning 
north, go south to Singapore, get across to Labuan, where my 
friend Ussher is Governor. You will find native hunters who 
will skin your birds for you^ and he will tell you how to get up 
the Lawas River or explore Km a Balu^, both comparatively 
unknown localities." 

I gave Jameson a letter of introduction to Governor Ussher^ 
and, with many expressions of thanks, he departed. 

I heard occasionally about him in Borneo, but in the corre- 
spondence with my friend Ussher, which I have preserved, I do 
not now find any mention of Jameson, and I rather fancy that 
the Governor was away from Labuan when he arrived there, 
and that he was the guest of Mr. Treacher. Anyhow, thanks 
to the hospitality of one of these gentlemen, Jameson was able to 
ascend the Lawas River in North-western Borneo, and he made 
a large collection of birds, which have been mounted for him 
by Mr. Rowland Ward. 

It is a great pity that no record of this collection was ever 
published, for Jameson met with some interesting species, 
and he was the first to discover the Black Pern, a kind of 
Honey-Buzzard, in Borneo_, a fact of singular importance at 
the time. The genus Machcerhamphus contains two species 
of Black Pern — one Oriental (ikf. alcinus) and one African 
(M, anderssoni). The latter was discovered by the late Mr. 
C. J. Andersson in Damara-Land, and was named in his 
honour by Mr. J. H. Gurney. It has since been found in 
Somali-Land and in Madagascar. Previously to Mr. Andersson's 
discovery, the genus Machcerhamphus was known only from the 

* Within tlie last few years another young friend of mine, Mr. John 
Whitehead, acting under my advice, ascended Kina Balu after great diffi- 
culties, and obtained about fifty new species of birds, some of them of the 
most beautiful plumage and form. 

2d 



394 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

Malayan Peninsula^ though it has since been found in Tenas- 
serim and in New Guinea ! Within the last few years it 
has been met with in several parts of Borneo_, but the first 
discoverer of the species in that island was Jameson. 

The expedition to Mashona-Land, which was his next ex- 
ploit, was a very important one, and added a great deal to our 
knowledge of the birds of South-eastern Africa. On this occa- 
sion Jameson took with him Mr. Thomas Ayres, of Potchef- 
stroom, one of the best field-naturalists of the day, and the 
collection was described by Captain Shelley in the *^Ibis* for 
1882. During this expedition 219 species of birds were 
observed, and the notes on habits written by Mr. Ayres were of 
the highest interest. 

Several species of birds were found for the first time in South 
Africa, and our knowledge of the geographical distribution of 
many forms was much extended. For instance, Salvadori's 
Creeper [Hylypsornis salvadorii) was discovered on the Gangani 
Eiver ; it was previously only known from Benguela. Sir John 
Kirk's Sun-bird (Ciw/i2/r2*5 kirki) was found on the Umvuli River, 
never having been known from the south of the Zambesi before. 
Andersson's Penduline Tit {Anthoscopus caroli) , supposed to be 
peculiar to Ovampo-Land, was met with on the Gangani River. 
Jameson's Flycatcher [Hyliota australis) was a new species dis- 
covered on the Umvuli River; and on the 23rd of October they 
found our Common Martin [Chelidon urbica) on the Quae-Quae 
River; its occurrence in winter so far south was previously 
unsuspected. 

Jardine's Cuckoo-Shrike {Graucalus pedoralis), hitherto be- 
lieved to be peculiar to West Africa, was found on the Umvuli; 
and the series of Weaver-birds {PloceidcB) was most important, 
two being new to science — Ayres's Weaver (Sharpia ayresi, 
Shelley) and Jameson's Weaver [Hyphantornis jamesoni, 
Sharpe) . 

Mr. Ayres gives the following account of the finding of the 
first of these species : — 

" This is by no means a common bird. We found it breed- 
ing at the Tatin. It makes a rough retort- shaped nest, which 
it hangs, mouth downwards, from the outer twigs of rather tall 



OBNITHOLOGY. 395 

trees. Sometimes a new nest is hung on the tube of the last 
year's structure. 

'^ Mr. Jameson found a nest to the north of the Umvuli in 
October, with two blue eggs in it ; and at the Tatin we pulled 
down one of the double nests, and Mr. Jameson, on trying to 
put his hand up the tube, very nearly got bitten by a snake 
which was lying in the nest, and had swallowed the old bird as 
well as her blue eggs. It- is evident, therefore, that nests of 
this shape do not always keep out snakes. '^ 

A new Weaver-Finch, named by Captain Shelley Lagono- 
sticta jamesoni, was discovered on the Umvuli, and again seen on 
the Tatin River. It has been figured by me in the ' Catalogue 
of Birds ' (vol. xiii. pi. xi. fig. 1). 

It only remains to add that Jameson's Mashona collection 
(which contained also a large series of Butterflies and Beetles, 
some of which have been named after him) resulted in a very 
marked improvement in our knowledge of South-African 
birds ; and as, with his usual liberality, he presented the most 
interesting of his specimens to Captain Shelley, they will pass, 
with the rest of the Shelley Collection, to the British Museum 
and become national property. 

It pleases me greatly to know that in his country's Museum 
will thus be found the evidences of Jameson's zeal for Science, 
while his memory will be treasured by the writer and other 
students of African Zoology, who are able to appreciate the 
good work he did on his Mashona Expedition. 



NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF THE CONGO REGION. 

So at last came the time of the Stanley Expedition, and 
Jameson came to me and told me he was intending to join it. 
He was full of delight at the prospect, especially at the thought of 
meeting Emin Pasha, while I was equally pleased to think of the 
gain to Science which would result from the work of these two 
naturalists, if they could study together in Equatorial Africa. 

2d2 



396 STOEY OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 

I gave him a letter for Emin Pasha"^, and he promised to come 
and see me again before he sailed^ though he was naturally- 
much occupied with his preparations for departure. This was 
unfortunately my last interview with Jameson. The next day- 
he sent me his photography as I had begged him to do^ and 
shortly after I got a letter from him. 

" S.S. ' Assam/ Brindisi, 
Monday. 
'' My DEAR Sharpe, 

" I was very sorry not to have time to call upon you again 
before leaving. I found out^ however^ almost at the last 
moment, that there was no possibility of my going through 
with the mails on Friday evening, as they had been full up for 
some time before^ and they would not give me a seat or any- 
thing. Thanks so much for your kind letter bidding me good- 
bye and for the letters of introduction also, and I hope to have 
many a long chat with you about our trip on our return, and 
will attend to your instructions. 

'^ Yours sincerely, 

" James S. Jameson." 

I only heard from my poor friend once more. In a letter 
from Yambuya (which at the moment of writing I cannot find, 
to my great regret) he announced the despatch of a collection 
of birds, and expressmg his disappointment at the locality as a 
collecting-ground, and his regret that he had not got more 
specimens together. The collection, however, though small, 
proved of considerable value ; and it was described by Captain 
Shelley, to whom I handed it over, as he had already*>worked 
out the results of the Mashona collection. I cannot do better 
than quote from Captain Shelley^s preface to show that, singu- 
larly poor as Mr. Stanley's Expedition has been in scientific 
results, the efforts of Jameson and some of the oflScers of the 
Rear Guard were not altogether unproductive. The collections 
of Butterflies made by Mr. Bonny at Banalya and by Mr. 
Herbert Ward at Ban gala have been described by Mr. H. 

* What became of this letter I do not know. Emin apparently never got 
it; at least lie does not mention it in his recent letters to me. 



ORNITHOLOGY. 397 

Grose- Smitli and by my daughter, Miss Emily Mary Sharpe, 
and both were found to contain several novelties. 

Captain Shelley, who also knew Jameson well^ thus writes 
concerning his Yambuya collection in the 'Ibis^ for 1890, 
p. 156^:— 

^^In 1882 I had the pleasure of describing Mr. Jameson^s 
ornithological collections from Matabele-Land. It is with the 
greatest regret that I now have to give a final list of the birds 
obtained by this ardent young naturalist during his residence 
at Yambuya, on the Upper Congo, where he was stationed with 
the rear guard of the Stanley Expedition for the relief of Emin 
Pasha. His untimely death has been a loss to science, which 
naturalists will regret equally with the loss of those scientific 
pioneers of ornithology in Eastern Africa, Drs. G. A. Fischer 
and R. Bohm, both cut off" in their prime, when there was 
every reason to expect that their work had only just commenced. 
Mr. Stanley is more celebrated as an explorer than as a natu- 
ralist, and the unfortunate death of Mr. Jameson, who would 
have contributed much to the scientific interest of the expe- 
dition, is therefore the more to be deplored. 

'^ Small though the present collection be, it will be found to 
be of great interest to students of Ethiopian ornithology, and 
it is in some respects extremely important as regards the 
geographical distribution of species, as it serves to show how 
small is our knowledge of the range of African birds, and how 
little we are acquainted with the physical configuration of the 
interior of Africa^ which might give us some explanation of the 
distribution of species. The majority of the birds collected on 
the Aruwhimi are identical with species from the Lower Congo, 
and as these are mostly the same as the forms of Gaboon, the 
affinities of the avifauna of these two districts receive ample 
confirmation. Thus, when a species inhabiting the Gold Coast 
or the Niger Region is represented by an allied species in 
Gaboon or in the Congo district, the Aruwhimi bird will be 
found to belong to the Congo species and not to that of the 
Gold Coast. But this is not invariably so ; for the Pholidornis 

* " On a Collection of Birds made by the late Mr. J. S. Jameson on the 
Aruwhimi River, Upper Congo." By Capt. G. E. Shelley, F.Z.S. 



398 BTOBY OF THE REAR COLUMN, 

discovered by Mr. Jameson is allied to the species of the Gold 
Coast, as are also Pytelia schlegeli and Diaphorophyia blissetti^j 
which are purely Guinean species. Many birds recorded by 
Mr. Bowdler Sharpe as found in the Niam-Niam country^ 
from Mr. Bohndorff's collection in 1884 {cf. Journ. Linn. Soc, 
Zool. xvii. p. 419), are now shown to have an intermediate 
habitat, and a zoological connection is thus established with 
the Monbuttu country explored by Emin Pasha. Mr. Jameson''s 
collection, therefore, limited though it be by reason of the 
distractions and responsibility of his position at Yambuya, is of 
great importance for our knowledge of the geographical distri- 
bution of African birds, and had he lived there is no doubt 
that he would have added greatly to the renown of the Stanley 
Expedition, to which he contributed a considerable sum of 
money^ and for which he ultimately sacrificed his life."'' 

The following extracts from Mr. Jameson^s diaries have been 
supplied to me by Mrs. Jameson ; and as nearly all the birds 
were carefully labelled by her husband, I have been able to 
identify the species referred to in nearly every case. I have 
quoted Captain Shelley^s paper on the Collection in the *" Ibis ' 
for 1890, and have made one or two additional identifications. 



BIRDS COLLECTED ON LOWER CONGO, BETWEEN 
MATADI AND STANLEY POOL. 

1. Wydah Finch. 

Head, breast, tail, and wings black. Shoulders and back 
bright yellow. Common on the whole of Lower Congo. 
[Penthetriopsis macrura (Gm.) ; Shelley, t. c. p. 166.] 

2. Swallow. 

Wings, tail, and back blue-black. Rump reddish brown. 

* I have re-examined the Diaphorophyia, and, having come to the con- 
clusion that it is distinct from JD. hlissetti, I have called it D.jamesoni, — 
R. B. S. 



OBNITHOLOGY. 399 

Top of head ditto. Breast white, with pointed spots of black. 
Vent white. Common on whole of Lower Congo. [Hirundo 
puella, T.; Shelley, t. c. p. 163.] 

3. Weaver-bird. 

Cheeks, throat, wings, belly, and tail black. Head, neck, 
breast, and rump bright orange-scarlet. Back, shoulders, and 
vent pale reddish brown. Common on Lower Congo. [Pyro- 
melana flammiceps (Sw.) ; Shelley, t. c. p. 166.] 

4. Warbler. 

Head, wings, and back dark olive-green. Throat, breast, 
belly, and vent pale olive-green. Tail light olive-brown. Com- 
mon oa whole of Lower Congo. [Andropadus curvirostris, 
Cass.; Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. vi. p. Ill (1881).] 

5. Bee-eater. 

Throat, breast, and belly pale red. Vent grey. Head, back, 
and wings olive-greenish grey. Tail grey with a reddish tinge. 
White streak on each side of throat. Uncommon on Lower 
Congo. [Merops malimbicus, Shaw; Shelley, t. c. p. 166.] 

6. Small paradise-tailed Finch. 

Top of head, wings, back, and tail black. Neck, throat, 
breast, and vent white. Wing-coverts white, mottled with 
black. Beak light red. Congo Da Lamba. Common up here, 
but not observed nearer coast. [Vidua principalis (L.); Sharpe, 
Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xiii. p. 203.] 

7. COLY. 

Forehead black. Top of head crested and light grey. Back 
light brownish grey. Rump, tail, and upperside of wings olive- 
brown. Tail very long. Throat black; breast light brown, 
barred with black. Belly and vent dirty yellow. Inside of 
wings light brownish red. Feet bright red. Could not ob- 
serve whether common or uncommon. [Colitts nigricollis, V. ; 
Shelley, t. c. p. 168.] 



400 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 

BIRDS COLLECTED BETWEEN STANLEY POOL 
AND ARUWIMI RIVER. 

8. Sun-bird. 

Head_, tliroat, back, wing-coverts, and rump bright metallic 
green; breast, belly, and vent lemon-yellow. Tail metallic 
green and dark blue. Wings brown tinged with olive-green. 
Bolobo ; common on Upper Congo. [Anthothreptes hypodilus 
(Jard.) ; Shelley, t. c. p. 162.] 

9. Flycatcher. 

Head, back, wings, and tail of a sepia-colour. Throat grey. 
Breast and belly greyish brown. Vent grey, with brown bars. 
Scarce here at Bolobo, but common on Aruwimi. [Artomyias 
fuliginosa, Verr. ; Shelley, t. c. p. 158.] 

10 and 11. Cock and Hen Woodpecker. 

Throat barred black and white. Breast and belly olive- 
greenish brown, barred with white. Vent greenish brown. 
Cheeks white barred with black. Back and wings olive-green. 
Tail black. Inside of wings dark brown, barred with white. 
Rump greenish yellow tipped with gold. Head of hen dark 
brown. Bright golden crest on cock bird. [Mesqpicus xantho- 
lophus, Hargitt j Shelley, t. c. p. 168.] 



BIRDS COLLECTED AT ENTRENCHED CAMP, 
ARUWIMI RIVER. 

July 12th. 

12. KiNGHUNTER. 

Throat white with tinge of grey. Breast and belly grey. 
Vent white. Head and neck dark grey. Wing-coverts and tip 
of wing- feathers black. Centre of wing bright blue. Rump 
and tail bright blue. Back darker blue tinged with grey. 
Feet black. Upper mandible of beak deep red; lower one 
black. Common. Female. [Halcyon cyanoleuca (V.) ; Shel- 
ley, t. c. p. 167.] 

13. Ditto. 



ORNITHOLOGY. 401 

14. Black Weaver-bird. 

Jet-black all over. Feet bright brown. Eyes bright lemon ; 
black pupil. Common. Cock. [Melanopteryx nigerrimus 
(V.) ; Sharpe^ t. c. p. 476. Ploceus nigerrimus, Shelley, t. c. 
p. 164.] 

15. Ditto. 

July ISth. 

16. Shrike? 

Head crested. Head, wings, back, neck, throat, and tail 
black with dark green lustre. Belly and vent white ; breast 
and sides white barred with black. Underside of wings black, 
with broad bar of white across centre. Feet pale lemon. Eyes 
bright lemon, black pupil. Cock. Scarce, the pair shot being 
the only ones seen. \_Bias musicus (V.) ; Shelley, t. c. p. 159.] 

17. Shrike ? Hen bird of no. 16. 

Top of head crested and dark brown. Cheeks and neck 
lighter brown. Throat white. Breast, belly, and vent white, 
with a light reddish-brown tint. Back, wings, rump, and tail 
bright light red-brown. Eyes bright lemon. Feet pale lemon. 

18. Warbler. 

Forehead, cheeks, and upper part of throat grey. Line o£ 
bright yellow over each eye. Lower part of throat, vent, and 
underside of wings bright yellow. Breast and sides grey with 
a green tint. Belly grey ; neck, back, and wing-coverts olive- 
green. Wings brown; two short rows of feathers in wing 
pointed with yellow ; three of principal feathers next body 
pointed with yellow, rest of feathers in wing edged with yellow. 
Tail olive-green, feathers tipped with yellow. Eyes sepia. 
Feet lavender. Scarce. Cock. Only pair seen. [Nicator 
vireo, Cab.; Shelley, t. c. p. 161.] 

19. Warbler. 

Head dark olive-brown. Throat grey tinged with brown. 
Breast and belly light olive-brown. Sides darker. Vent light 
brown. Neck light olive-brown. Back, wings, and tail olive- 
brown. Bump reddish brown. Eyes pale sepia. Feet lavender, 
[Turdinus fulvescens, Sharpe; Shelley, t. c. p. 161.] 



402 STOEY OF THE EEAE COLUMN. 

July \9th. 

20. Small Warbler. 

Head, back, and tail olive-green. Wings slightly brighter 
green. Throat pale yellow. Breast pale olive-green tinged 
with yellow. Belly bright pale yellow. Vent pale yellow. 
Feet very light brown. Eyes dark brown. Common. Cock. 
[Camaroptera brevicaudata (Cretzschm.) ; Shelley, t. c. p. 160.] 

21. Hen bird of no. 20. 

Top of head, neck, and back greenish grey. Rump, sides, 
and breast grey. Belly and vent white. Wings olive-green. 
Tail olive-brown. Feathers of legs yellow. Feet very light 
brown. Eyes dark brown. 

22. Small Warbler. 

Forehead pale olive- green. Top of head bright reddish 
brown. Cheeks pale olive-green. Throat bright yeUow. Top 
of breast black, lower part white and grey tinged with yellow ; 
belly greyish white tinged with yellow. Vent yellow. Back 
grey tinged with olive-green. Wings and tail olive-brown. 
Feet ochre. Eyes dark grey. Scarce. Hen. \Eremomela 
badiceps (Eras.), juv. ; Shelley, t. c. p. 160.] 

July 16th. 

23. Bedstart? 

Top of head, neck, and cheeks black. Line of white running 
from beak over eye to back of neck. Throat, breast, sides, and 
vent yellow-ochre. Belly white. Back very dark greyish olive. 
Bump olive- brown. Shoulders sky-blue. Wings black, fea- 
thers edged with pale blue. Tail bright light reddish brown, 
with the two central feathers black. Feet dark brown. Eyes 
very light brown. Hen. [Cossypha bartteloti, Shelley, t. c. 
p. 159, pi. V. fig. 2.] 

July I9th. 

24. Small Finch. 

Cheeks, throat, and breast white. Belly white tinged with 
grey. Vent light grey. Sides light grey tinged with crimson- 
lake. Head black. Upper part of back, neck, and wing- 
coverts dark grey, closely barred with black. Lower part of 



OBNITHOLOGT. 403 

back and rump crimson-lake. Wings and tail black. Feet 
and eyes black. Cock. Scarce. Beak crimson-lake and 
black. \Estrelda nonnula, Hartl. ; Sbelley^ t. c. p. 165.] 

July l\th. 

25. Sun-bird. 

Head^ throat, neck, upper part of breast, back, shoulders, 
and rump bright metallic green. Lower half of breast bright 
red and yellow. Belly and vent dark olive-green. Wings and 
tail black. Eyes dark brown. Cock. Common. \_Cinnyris 
chloropygius (Jard.) ; Shelley, t. c. p. 162.] 

26. Ditto. 

July ISth. 

27. Small Kinghunter. 

Throat white; cheeks lilac; line of very bright reddish 
brown over eye. Top of head black barred with blue. Back 
and wing-coverts very deep blue. Rump brighter blue. Tail 
black. Neck, breast, belly, vent to underside of wings bright 
light reddish brown. Wings black, feathers edged with dark 
blue. Feet and beak vermilion. Eyes brown. Common. 
Cock. [Tspidina picta (Bodd.) ; Shelley, t. c. p. 167.] 

28. Kinghunter. 

Same as no. 27 in description, but a hen. 

29. Ditto. Hen. 

July 15th. 

30. Small Finch. 

Head, neck, breast, back, wing-coverts, and tail black. 
Belly and vent white. Centre of wings, rump, and sides black, 
barred with white. Tips of wings black. Feet black. Eyes 
black. Common. Cock. [Spermestes poensis {¥y3ls.) ; SheHej, 
t. c. p. 166.] 

31. Ditto. 

July 26th. 

32. Sandpiper. 

Head, neck, back, wing-coverts, rump, tail, and feathers of 



404 STOBY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

wing next body a shiny ashen brown, with dark streak down 
centre. Wing-coverts, feathers of wing next body, and tail 
barred with darker brown. Shoulder white, and streak of white 
across outer part of wing. Throat white. Upper part of 
breast grey, streaked with brown; rest of breast, belly, and 
vent white. Legs pale yellowish grey. Eyes very dark brown ; 
large dark pupil. Hen ; only one seen. Distinct ruffs on each 
side of neck. [Tringoides hypoleucus in full breeding-plumage, 
rather worn, as if on its way south after breeding. Cf, Shelley, 
t. 0. p. 170.] 

July 27th, 

33. Swallow. 

Length from tip of tail to beak 8 J inches. Head, neck, 
wings, back, and tail deep blue-black. Throat, breast, belly, 
vent, and rump light reddish buff. White bar across underside 
of tail. Eyes very deep brown. Cock. [Hirundo gordoni, 
Jard. ; Shelley, t. c. p. 163.] 

July 29th. 

34. Weaver-bird. Hen of no. 14. 

Head, back, and wing-coverts dark olive-green, marked down 
the centre with dark brown. Rump lighter olive-green. Tail 
brown tinged with green. Wings very dark brown ; feathers 
edged with ochre. Throat greenish gold, breast darker ditto. 
Belly and vent bright yellow. Eyes hazel. Feet pale pinky 
brown. [Melanopteryoo nigerrimus (V.) ; Ploceus nigerrimus, 
Shelley, t. c. p. 164.] 

35. Weaver-bird. 

Throat, line round eyes, line at back of the neck and shoulders 
black. Cheeks, top of head, sides of neck, and breast rich 
deep gold. Belly and vent very bright yellow. Back very 
dark brown. Wings, rump, and tail olive-brown. Eyes dark 
brownish grey. Feet pinkish brown. Cock. [This is Melan- 
--r- hyphantes nigricollis (V.), Sharpe, Cat. B.xiii. p. 415. Ploceus 

nigricollis, Shelley, t. c. p. 165.] 

36. Woodpecker. 

Top of head black, closely spotted with white. Back of 
head bright red and crested. Throat, cheeks, and neck dirty 



ORNITHOLOGY. 405 

whitCj every feather with a black spot in centre. Breast_, belly, 
and vent dirty yellowish white^ closely barred with black. Back, 
wing-coverts_, shoulders, and rump dark olive-green. Wings 
and tail olive-brown. Eyes dark brown. Feet greenish yellow. 
Hen. [Campothera permista, Reichen. ; Shelley, t. c. p. 168.] 

Jul]/ 31st, 

37. Nightjar. 

Top of head dark reddish brown barred with black. Neck : 
upper part, a bar of closely mottled dark brown and dirty white ; 
lower part, a bar of light reddish brown barred with black. 
Throat pale reddish yellow barred with black, and a bar of 
white running across the centre. Upper part of breast reddish 
yellow barred with black. Lower half of breast dirty white 
barred with black. Belly and vent dirty yellowish white, closely 
barred with black. Back dark brown, mottled with reddish 
brown. Wing-coverts and shoulders dark brown, mottled with 
light reddish brown and reddish yellow. Rest of wings light 
reddish brown, barred with black. Tail, broad bars of black 
and mottled light red, black, and white. Eyes very dark brown, 
large black pupils. Hen. Only one seen. [Cosmetornis 
vexillarius (Gould) ; Shelley, t. c. p. 167.] 

July 30th. 

38. Plover. 

Forehead and cheeks light reddish brown. Top and back of 
head dark greyish brown. Throat white, going oJ0P into grey at 
sides and bottom. Upper half of breast and back dark grey. 
Lower half of breast reddish brown in centre, with grey on 
each side. Belly and vent white. Underside of wings, upper 
half from shoulders white, lower black. Back and wing-coverts 
olive greenish grey, tipped with bright red. Wings black, with 
a white bar running right across from under shoulder to bod v. 
Rump and upper half of tail white. Lower half of tail black. 
Eyes dark sepia, very large black pupil. Hen. Believe to be 
hen bird of Spur-winged Plover shot on Stanley Pool. ILobi- 
vanellus super ciliosus, Reichen. ; Shelley, t. c. p. 169.] 

39. Large Weaver-bird. 

Top of head, cheeks^ throat, and a line running down into 



406 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

breast black. Back of head dark reddish brown. Neck rich 
golden yellow. Back between shoulders, a line of bright yellow 
bordered by a line of black on each side. Rest of back bright 
yellow and black, mottled. Rump yellow. Tail olive-green 
tinged with yellow. Wing-coverts bright yellow. A line of 
black across shoulders ; rest of wings brown, feathers tipped 
and edged with yellow. Breast and belly rich dark golden 
yellow. Vent bright pale yellow. Eyes deep orange-red. 
Cock. Scarce here. \Ploceus bohndorffi, Reichen. ; Shelley, 
t. c. p. 164. Hyphantornis bohndorffi, Sharpe, Cat. B. xiii. p. 455. 
This species was not in the British Museum, to which it has now 
been presented by Mrs. Jameson.] 

40. Swift. 

Head, back, neck, breast, and wings glossy greenish black. A 
small white spot immediately below beak on throat; rest of 
throat black. Belly and vent white. Rump white with black 
quills. Tail: upper half white with black quills; lower half 
glossy greenish black, with the black quills extending into sharp 
spikes. Eyes very dark brown. Feet grey. Hen. [Chcstura 
sabinei, Gray ; Shelley, t. c. p. 168.] 

August 2nd. 

41. Woodpecker. 

Top of head dark brown, with golden crest. Cheeks white, 
with black bar in centre. Throat white, slightly barred with 
black. Breast and belly dirty brownish green spotted with 
white. Vent dark olive-green. Back of neck black ; sides of 
ditto white and black. Back and wing-coverts dark olive-green. 
Rump dark gold. Outer feathers of wing dark brown, slightly 
barred with white spots ; rest of wing dark olive- green. Tail 
black. Cock. Eyes dark brown. [Mesopicus ocantholophuSj 
Hargitt; Shelley, t. c. p. 168. Captain ShePey observes: — 
'^This species was originally described from Graboon, was also 
found on the Lower Congo by Lucan and Petit, and afterwards 
by BohndorfiP in the Niam-Niam country.^^] 

Basoho. 

42. Woodpecker. 

Hen bird of no. 41 . Description exactly the same, except want 
of crest on head, and it has two dark brown feathers in tail. 



ORNITHOLOGY. 407 

43 to 45. Small Finches. 
Same as no. 24. Cocks. 

46. Hen of no. 24. 

Same as no. 24. Only dark grey where light in cock bird. 
\Estrelda nonnula, Hartl. ; Shelley, t. c. p. 165.] 

August \^th, 

47 and 48. Eollers. 

Head, neck, back, wing-coverts, feathers of wing next body, 
and shoulders reddish brown. Throat, breast, and belly reddish 
brown tinged with magenta. Vent and underside of tail and 
wings pale sky-blue. Leg-coverts slightly deeper blue. Rest 
of wing very dark blue. Upperside of tail very dark brownish 
gr.ey tinged with blue. Other feathers light blue tipped with 
black. Beak light brown. Eyes dark brown. Both hens. 
Scarce. [Eurystomus afer (Lath.) ; Shelley, t. c. p. 167.] 

August 11th, 

49. Warbler. 

Head, throat, and cheeks glossy blue- black. Neck, breast, 
belly, and vent dark bluish grey. Back, rump, wing-coverts, 
and feathers of wings next body bright red-brown. Outer 
feathers of wing and tail very dark bluish grey. Eyes deep 
claret. Beak, legs, feet, and rim round eye lavender. Hen. 
Scarce. [Terpsiphone cristata (Gm.) ; Shelley, t. c. p. 158.] 

50 and 51. Bee-eaters. 

Head, cheeks, neck, and upper part of back black tinged with 
dark green. Line over eyes and forehead bright greenish 
blue. Throat bright crimson-lake. Breast black, spotted with 
bright blue. Belly and vent dull Kingfisher-blue. Back and 
wing-coverts black tinged with dark green. Wings black and 
light brownish red; feathers edged with blue. Bump bright 
Kingfisher-blue. Tail black tinged with dark blue. Cock 
birds, and scarce. Eyes deep claret-red. [Mellitophagus gularis 
(Shaw) ; Shelley, t. c. p. 167.] 

52 and 53. Bee-eaters. Hens of nos. 50 and 51. 
Throat paler crimson. Vent and belly duller blue. No blue 
line over eyes and forehead. Eyes dark brown. 



408 8T0BY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

54. Shrike. 

Top of head and neck Llack. Throat, line from beak over 
eyesj breast, belly, and vent white. Back, wings, and tail very 
dark grey. Hump very bright grey. Eyes dark grey. Legs 
and feet dark lavender. Scarce. [Dryoscopus tricolor, Cab. & 
Reichen. ; Shelley, t. c. p. 162.] 

55. Shrike. 

Jet-black all over. Very long fluffy feathers on back and 
rump. Eyes dark brown. Cock. Scarce. [Dryoscopus leuco- 
rhynchuSj Hartl. ; Shelley, t. c. p. 161.] 

56. Small Kinghunter. 

Same as no. 27. \Ispidina picta (Bodd.) ; Shelley, t. c. 
p. 167.] 

57. Small Shrike ? 

Throat, side o£ neck, vent, belly, and rump pure white. 
Breast, back, head, neck, wings, and tail black. Eyes very 
dark red, next pupil fading into brown. Faded purple wattles 
round eyes. Feet faded purple. Cock. Scarce, [piaphoro- 
phyia castanea (Eras.) ; Shelley, t. c. p. 158.] 

58. Warbler. 

Top of head and neck brown. Throat, breast, belly, and vent 
yellowish white. Sides grey. Back, wings, and tail brownish 
grey. Leg-coverts reddish yellow. Scarce. Cock. [Cisticola 
ruficapilla (Eras.) ; Shelley, t. c. p. 160.] 

59. Woodpecker. Cock bird of no. 36. 

Description same, only whole top of head red. \CampotTiera 
permista, Reichen. ; Shelley, t. c. p. 168.] 

November 7th, 

60. 

Head, neck, and breast deep indigo. Sides, belly, and vent 
very dark grey. Back and wing-coverts light reddish brown. 
Tail black, with two central feathers very long and pure white, 
about two and a half times length of tail. Feet and beak dark 
lavender. Eyes dark brown. Cock. Wings black, with a bar 
of white running from shoulder across centre. This bird I 



ORNITHOLOGY, 409 

believe to be the cock of no. 49, already sent home, and I think 
a Paradise Flycatcher. [Terpsiphone cristata (Gm.) ; Shelley, 
t. c. p. 158.] 

December ^th. 

61. Plover. 

Forehead light reddish brown. Top of head and crest black. 
Cheeks, neck, and lower half of throat grey. Throat white. 
Sides of breast and upper part grey ; rest a rich warm brown. 
Belly, vent, underside of tail, rump, and upper half of tail- 
feathers white. Extremity of tail black. Wing-coverts an 
ashen green; broad white bar across centre of wing. Outer 
feathers of wing black; underside of wing white, with long 
feathers black. Back a rich olive greenish ash. Eye a rich 
yellow^ochre, with large black pupil. Feet a pinkish slate- 
colour. Bright lemon-coloured wattles round the eyes and 
over forehead. Believe to be cock bird of no. 38. [Lobiva- 
nellus superciliosus, Beichen. ; Shelley, t. c. p. 169.] 

October 28th. 

62. Spine-tailed Swift. 

Head and cheeks black tinged with dark green. Throat 
dirty white streaked with dark grey. Upper half of breast 
grey, with centre of each feather darker grey. Best of breast, 
belly, and vent white, with a black streak down centre of each 
feather. Bump white, with ditto. Tail black, vrith sharp 
black spine at end of each feather. Back and wings black 
tinged with dark green. Eyes dark sepia. Believe to be hen 
of no. 40. [Chcetura cassini, Scl.; Shelley, t. c. p. 168.] 

October 23rfl?. 

63. Chaunting Falcon. 

Forehead and cheeks very pale bluish grey. Top of head, 
neck, and upper half of breast slightly darker ditto. Throat 
white, with streak of grey down centre. Lower half of breast, 
belly, and leg-coverts white, closely barred with dark grey. 
Wing-coverts and back bluish grey; rest of wing very dark 
grey, almost black, with white tips to feathers. Bump very 
dark grey over white. Tail black, with white tip and white 

2 E 



410 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

bar across, one inch from tip. Beak : upper half bright reddish 
orange. Legs ditto. Eyes very dark brown^ with orange lids. 
[Asturinula monogrammicaj Shelley^ t. c. p. 157.] 

December \Qth. 

64. Large Bee-eater. 

Forehead and line over eyes pale sky-blue. Top of head and 
neck bright green tinged with pale blue. Line of jet-black 
running from beak under eyes, forming broad patch over ear. 
Under this line, and of same length, line of white with under 
edge of sky-blue. Throat next beak light gold fading into patch of 
pale sienna, bordered on each side by light green ; rest of throat, 
breast, belly, vent, back to rump bright green tinged with sky- 
blue, particularly on vent and rump. Wing-coverts a rich 
olive-green tinged with gold ; four central feathers and outer 
feathers edged with sky-blue, all feathers tipped with black. 
Tail bright olive- green, with two central feathers long and 
pointed. Underside of wing pale golden-brown. Eyes crimson- 
lake. Beak black. Feet dark grey. Cock. [Merops persicus. 
Pall. Merops super ciliosus, Shelley, t. c. p. 167 (nee L.) .] 

65. DittOj with exception of central feathers of tail not fully 
developed. Cock. 

m. Hen of last bird. 

Top of head, neck, back, and wing-coverts faded green, 
tinged with very pale blue. Upper half of throat pale gold; 
cheeks and throat very pale reddish yellow. Breast and belly 
pale green, tinged with very pale blue. Rump very light 
greenish blue, almost white. Inside of wings pale reddish 
yellow. E/ump bright green, tinged with pale blue; tail pale 
bluish green. Wings : upper half faded green ; central feathers 
faded blue, tipped with brown ; outer feathers faded greenish 
blue, tipped with brown ; four central feathers of very dark 
olive-green, tipped with black. Many feathers still in quill. 
Believed to be young bird. 

December Sth. 

67. Small Bee-eater. 

Forehead, line over eyes, and upper half of throat white; 



ORNITHOLOGY. 411 

cheeks black. Top of head very dark brown ; lower half of 
throat black, edged above and below with bright sky-blue. 
Neck pale reddish yellow, tinged with green. Breast pale 
green, tinged with very pale blue. Belly and vent white, 
tinged with very pale light blue. Rump bright sky-blue. Back 
and wing-coverts bright green. Wing-feathers next body blue, 
tipped with black; outer feathers bright golden green, edged 
with blue. Tail bright blue, with two central feathers long and 
pointed. Cock. Eyes crimson-lake ; feet grey . [Merops albi- 
collis, v.; Shelley, t. c. p. 167.] 

68. Bee-eater. Hen bird of no. Q7, 

Same description; but colour of feathers distinctly paler, 
and without two long pointed feathers in tail. [Merops albi- 
collis, V. ; Shelley, t. c. p. 167.] 

November 9th. 

69. Thrush. 

Top of head and neck yellowish green. Cheeks bright yellow. 
Throat very light grey. Breast grey, with light streak down 
centre. Belly white. Sides, long fluffy feathers of an olive- 
green, tipped with lemon. Vent and leg-coverts bright lemon- 
yellow. Underside of wings bright lemon, except outer fea- 
thers, which are grey. Back and wing-coverts dark olive-green. 
Bump light olive-green. Tail golden olive. On wings two 
distinct bars of bright lemon spots, and two longest feathers 
next body tipped with bright lemon. Best of feathers of wing 
brown, edged with golden olive. Eyes dark sepia. Hen. Feet 
grey. \_Nicator chloris (VaL) ; Shelley, t. c. p. 161.] 

October 7th. 

70. Bail. 

Head, throat, neck, breast, and top of back bright reddish 
brown. Tail dark reddish brown. Back, wing, rump^ and 
belly black, covered with round white spots. Vent and leg- 
coverts olive-brown, spotted with black. Legs and feet dark 
pinkish brown. Cock. Eyes light brown. \_Corethrura 
pulchra, J. E. Gray; Hartl. Orn. W.-Afr. p. 241 (1857).] 

2t2 ^ 



412 STOET OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 

October ISth. 

71. Dotterel. 

Foreliead white, tinged with pale buff. Top of head dark 
grey, edged with creamy brown. Throat white. Ring of 
white round neck ; below this a ring of black, edged with grey, 
and forming ruffs on side of breast. Breast, belly, vent, under- 
side of tail, and wings white. Back and wing-coverts ash, 
edged with creamy brown. Long feathers of wing next body 
olive-ash. Central feathers of ditto light grey, with white 
line through centre of wing. Outer feathers of wing black, 
and quill of outer one of all pure white. Cock. Eyes dark 
brown. \_JEffialitis minor (Meyer and Wolf) ; Shelley, t. c. 
p. 169.] 

December 21st. 

72. KiNGHUNTER. 

Same as no. 13. Cock. Eyes dark brown. [Halcyon cyano- 
leuca (V.); SheUey, t. c. p. 167.] 

73. Golden Cuckoo. 

Top of head dark purplish bronze. Neck and back bright 
purplish bronze, tinged with green. Throat, neck, and breast 
pale bufl^ streaked with brown. Streak of white down centre 
of belly and vent ; rest of belly, vent, and sides bright bronzy 
green, barred with white. Wing-coverts and rump bright 
bronzy green. Central feathers of wing and feathers next body 
bright bronzy green; the central feathers barred with reddish 
brown on outside edge. Outer feathers of wing dark bronzy 
green, barred on inside edge with reddish brown. Two central 
feathers of tail dark bronzy green, edged, tipped, and barred 
next body with reddish brown. Eest of tail-feathers reddish 
brown, barred with bronzy green, and tipped with white. 
Underside of wings bright bronzy green, barred with white. 
Underside of other feathers of wing dark grey, barred with 
white and light reddish brown. Eyes hazel. Hen. [Chryso- 
coccyx klaasi, V.; Shelley, t. c. p. 168.] 

December 18th. 

74. Large Sun-bird. 

Throat and upper half of breast metallic prussian-blue, with 



ORNITHOLOGY, 413 

shades of purple. Cheeks bronzy purple. Top of head bright 
metallic, very dark green. Line from back of eyes, neck, back, 
rump, and wing-coverts bright metallic bronzy green. Wings 
black, with a shade of very dark brown. Lower half of breast 
and belly very dark crimson-claret. Vent black, with a spot of 
crimson-claret on each feather, and each feather edged with 
bright metallic golden-green. Tail black. Eyes dark sepia. 
Cock. Legs and feet black. [Cinnyris superbuSj V. ; Shelley, 
t. c. p. 162.] 

75. Same as no. 74. Cock. 

76. Large Sun-bird. Hen of nos. 74 and 75. 

Throat pale lemon-yellow, slightly tinged with green. Breast 
pale olive-green tinged with lemon. Belly lemon. Sides light 
olive-green tinged with lemon. Vent bright reddish orange. 
A line of bright lemon over eye ; from beak to eye and over 
ears a line of dark olive-green. Cheeks lemon. Top of head 
dark olive- green tinged with brown. Neck, back, and wing- 
coverts green tinged with grey. Rump bright green. Tail 
dark brown, edged with olive-green. Wings dark brown, edged 
with olive-green, and central feathers edged with orange. Eyes 
dark brown. Legs and feet black. 

December 22nd. 

77 and 78. Small Swallows. 

Upper half of throat and sides of throat, top of head, neck, 
breast, belly, vent, back, rump, and wing-coverts bright metallic 
prussian-blue. Centre of throat white ; sides white. Upper- 
side of tail bright prussian-blue; underside black, with inside 
edge of each feather nearly down to end white. Outer feathers 
of wing black tinged with deep blue. Hen. Eyes very dark 
sepia. Feet black. \_Hirundo nigritaj Grray; Shelley, t. c. 
p. 163.] 

79. Sandpiper. 

Sides of forehead, throat, lower half of breast, belly, vent, 
undersides of wings, and tail and tail-coverts white. Centre of 
forehead, top of head, neck, breast, and cheeks grey, with a 
streak of darker grey down centre. Back dark grey, feathers 
edged with white. Rump ditto. Two lines of white across 



414 STORY OF TEE BEAR COLUMN, 

centre of wings. Centre of wings light ashen grey. Long 
outer feathers of wing very dark grey^ with white quills. Tail 
light grey, edged with white. Eyes sepia. Hen. Beak long 
and slightly curved. [Tringa suhar quota (L.) ; Shelley, t. c 
p. 170.] 

80. Sun-bird. Same as no. 25. Cock. \Cinnyris chloro- 



November 9th, 

81. Small Shrike? 

Top of head dark bluish grey. Throat light reddish brown. 
Breast, back, and wing-coverts reddish brown. Belly and 
vent white. B-ump and sides light grey. Tail black. Wattles 
round eye rose-madder or faded purple. Feet and legs pinkish 
grey. Eyes dark lake. Feathers of rump, vent, sides, and leg- 
coverts very long and fluffy. Hen. [piaphorophyia castanea 
(Fras.) ; Shelley, t. c. p. 158.] 

November 7th, 

82. Small Shrike. 

Head, neck, throat, upper half of breast, back, rump, tail, 
wing-coverts, and wings very dark metallic green. Lower half 
of breast, beUy, vent, and leg-coverts white. Cheeks bright 
reddish brown. Wattles round eye rose-madder. Feet and 
legs pinkish grey. Eyes dark lake. Cock. [Diaphorophyia 
blissetti (nee Sharpe) ; Shelley, t. c. p. 159.] This appears to 
me to be a distinct species from D. blissetti. The patch of 
feathers on the ear-coverts is not only much smaller and does 
not extend to the hinder cheeks as in D. blissetti, but it is of a 
diflPerent colour, being more maroon than ferruginous. Total 
length 3*8 inches, wing 2*15, tail 0-85, tarsus 0*65. I therefore 
propose to call the Yambuya bird Diaphorophyia jamesonij 
sp. n. 

November 9th. 

83. Species unknown. 

Head, neck, back, rump, and wing-coverts very dark brown, 
feathers tipped with bright yellowish green. Wings and tail 
dark brown, edged with ditto. Throat, breast, belly, and vent 



ORNITHOLOGY. 416 

dirty white^ feathers barred -with bright greenish yellow and 
black. Eyes pale lemon. Young bird. [Barhatula scolopacea 
(T.) ; Shelley, t. c. p. 169.] 

October 28th. 

84. Yellow Wagtail. 

Top of head dark grey tinged with olive-green. Line of 
lemon passing over eye to ear-coverts. Cheeks olive-green. 
Throat bright lemon-yellow. Breast a dull yellow tinged with 
grey. Belly and vent bright lemon-yellow. Neck and back 
grey, tinged with olive-green. Rump olive-green. Tail black, 
with the two outer feathers on each side white. Wings dark 
greyish brown, feathers edged with dirty white. Cock, [ilfo- 
tacilla campestris, Pall.; Shelley, t. c. p. 164.] 

November \st. 

85. Flycatcher. 

Top of head grey^ with darker streak down centre of each 
feather. Throat and breast dirty white, with grey streak down 
centre of each feather. Belly and vent white. Neck, back, 
and wing-coverts light brownish grey. Wings and tail greyish 
brown, feathers edged with dirty white. Two central feathers 
of tail short and very dark grey. Cock. [Muscicapa grisola, 
L. ; Shelley, t. c. p. 158.] 

December 27th, 

86. Finch. 

Head, cheeks, throat, breast^ sides, and rump bright crimson. 
Neck, back, belly, and vent black. Wings very dark brown, 
almost black. Tail dark red. Beak dark prussian-blue, with 
shade of mother-of-pearl in upper mandible. Eyes deep claret. 
Legs and feet deep yellow-ochre. Cock. [Pyrenestes cocci- 
neus, Cass.; Shelley, t. c. p. 166.] 

87. Golden Cuckoo. 

Young bird. Eyes light grey. Eyelids green. Feet sea- 
green. Cock. \_Chrysococcya; smaraffdineus, Sw.,^u.y,', Shelley, 
t. c. p. 169.] 

88. Warbler. Same as no. 58. Cock. 



416 STOBT OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 

89. Swift. 

Total expanse of wings 16 in. Length of each wing 7\ in. 
Length from tip of beak to tip of tail 7| in. Top of head dark 
brownish grey, with an olive-green tinge upon it, slightly 
lighter on the forehead. Cheeks very dark brownish grey. 
Throat dirty white. Breast, belly, back, rump, and wing- 
coverts very dark brownish grey, with an olive-green gloss on 
it. Vent a light ashen grey. Tail dark ashen grey, and very 
much forked. Wings, the two long outer feathers black ; rest 
of wing a dark sepia-like grey, with a rich sheen of olive-green. 
Eyes very dark brown. Legs feathered down to beginning of 
toes. Feet grey. Cock. [Cypselus apus, L.; Shelley, t. c. 
p. 168.] 

90. Small Finch ? 

Forehead and half of top of head bright crimson. Cheeks, 
throat, breast, belly, and vent bright reddish brown or raw 
sienna. Back of head, neck, back, rump, and wing-coverts dark 
green, with a tinge of olive-green all over it. Tail dark grey. 
Feet pinkish ochre. Wings, long feathers dark brown, short 
ones greyish green. Eyes deep claret. Cock. [Pholidornis 
jamesoni, Shelley, t. c. p. 163, pi. v. fig. 1. Similar to Pholi- 
dornis rubrifrons of the Gold Coast, but distinguished by having 
the whole of the face chestnut and not spotted with ashy grey.] 

91. Finch. Same as no. 86. Cock. 



BIRDS COLLECTED AT YAMBUYA CAMP. 

92. Warbler. Cock. 

Throat white. Line from beak to eye and cheeks very dark 
grey, almost black. Top of head very dark grey, feathers 
edged with lighter grey. Neck, back, and wing- coverts French- 
grey. Breast and sides light French-grey. Belly and centre 
of lower half of breast white. Vent dirty greyish white. Tail 
light brownish grey. Wings of a uniform brownish grey. 
Eyes dark brown. [Burnesia leucopogon (Cab.) ; Shelley, t. c. 
p. 160.] 



ORNITHOLOGY, 417 

Finches. 93. Cock. 94. Hen. 

Forehead, cheeks, throat, breast, belly, vent^ and tail black. 
Top of head next forehead very light grey, almost white ; rest 
dark French-grey. Neck, back, and tail- coverts dark French- 
grey. Bump very light grey, almost white. Wings black, 
with white spots on shoulder, and bar of white-tipped feathers 
across wing below shoulder, and three main feathers of wing 
next body tipped with white. Cock. Eyes orange. 

Hen. Eyes orange. Exactly the same as cock-bird, but 
light grey, not so nearly white. 

[Nigrita canicapilla, Strickl. ; Shelley, t. c. p. 165.] 

95. Small Sun-bird. 

Head, cheeks, neck, back, rump, and wing-coverts metallic 
bronze-green. Throat bluish grey. Lower part of throat and 
upper part of breast bright metallic green, succeeded by a thin 
line of orange. On each side of breast a tuft of bright lemon. 
Belly and sides pale olive-green. Vent pale lemon-yellow. 
Tail very dark brown, almost black, with feathers edged with 
metallic bronze. Wings very dark brown ; feathers edged with 
golden olive. Cock. Eyes pinkish red. Legs and feet black. 
[Anthothreptes tephrolaemay Jard. ; Shelley, t. c. p. 163.] 

96. Small Sun-bird. 

Throat dirty greyish white. Breast, sides, and vent a dirty 
greyish white, tinged with yellow and streaked with brown. 
Centre of breast and belly same, with more yellow in it. A 
line of dirty white from beak over eye. Top of head, cheeks, 
neck, back, rump, and wing-coverts and tail a warm brown. 
Wings same brown, edged with whiter brown. Hen. Eyes 
dark sepia. Legs and feet black. [Cinnyris angolensis (Less.) ; 
Shelley, t. c. p. 162.] 

97. Warbler. Cock. 

Top of head, neck, back^ rump, wing-coverts, and tail a rich 
dark olive-green. A line of yellow from beak over eye. Cheeks 
dark olive greenish-brown. Throat, breast, belly, and vent a 
light grey tinged with green. Wings dark brown; feathers 
edged with olive-green. Eyes dark brown. Legs and feet pale 
grey. Cock. [Hylia prasina, Cass. ; Sharpe, t. c. p. 160.] 



418 STORY OF THE EEAB COLUMN. 

98. Sun-bird. 

Same as no. 74. Cock. Not quite mature plumage, 

99. Warbler. Cock. 

Top of head, neck, back, and wiug-coverts pale sepia. Line 
of white barred witb black over eye. Throat, breast, sides, 
vent, rump, and leg-coverts white, closely barred with black. 
WiiJgs dark brown; feathers edged with lighter brown. White- 
tipped feathers on shoulder, and two bars of white-tipped 
feathers across upper half of inng. Three main feathers next 
body tipped with white. Tail, upperside only showing two 
long brown feathers, tipped with white ; underside showing 
five feathers on each side of tail in a straight line, one longer 
than the other, tipped with white. Cock. Eyes dark brown. 
Feet dark grey. [Burnesia bairdi (Cass.); Shelley, t. c. 
p. 160.] 

100. Warbler. 
Same as no. 99. Hen. 

101. Paradise Flycatcher. Cock. 

Immature bird, without long white feathers of tail. Same 
as no. 60. 

102. Paradise Flycatcher. Hen. 

Same as no. 49. [Terpsiphone cristata, Shelley, t. c. p. 158.] 

103. Weaver-bird. Cock. 

Same as no. 35. [Melanhyphantes nigricollis (V.). Ploceus 
nigricollis (V.) ; Shelley, t. c. p. 165.] 

104. Weaver-bird. Hen. 

Hen of above. Qheeks dark gold. Forehead, line over eyes, 
throat, breast, belly, and vent bright lemon-yellow. Top of 
head black. Neck and back dark olive-brown. Rump olive- 
brown tinged with yellow. Tail olive-brown. Wing-shoulders 
very dark brown, rest of wing dark brown ; feathers edged with 
olive greenish-yellow. \_M. nigricollis, ut supra.] 

105. Species unknown. 

Top of head, sides of neck, and line across top of breast 
rich dark clarr^t. Throat and upper half of breast claret, 
shot with wlifie. Neck, back, and rump deep shiny indigo- 



OBNITHOLOGY. 419 

blue. Breast and "belly bright lemon-yellow. Sides^ leg- 
coverts, and vent black; feathers tipped with lemon. Tail 
black. Shoulder of wings white. Eest of wing deep blue- 
black, with feathers edged with brown. Beak and large wattles 
round eye bright golden yellow. Eyes dark red. Legs and 
feet dark slate. Hen ? [Trachyphonus purpuratus, Verr. ; 
Shelley, t. c. p. 169.] 

106. Large Warbler. Hen? 

Top of head and neck light greyish brown. Back and wing- 
coverts light yellowish brown. Rump still lighter yellowish 
brown. Cheeks pale ochre. Throat white. Breast, belly, and 
vent ochre, nearly buff at the sides, and white in centre. Wings 
light brown, edged with yellowish brown. Tail light brown. 
Legs and feet lavender. Eyes light grey. Hen? [Acroce- 
phalus turdoides (Bechst.) ; Shelley, t. c. p. 159.] 

107. Shrike. 

Same as no. 55. Hen. 

108. Cardinal Finch. 
Same as no. 86. Cock. 

109. Finch. Cock. 

Top of head, neck, back, wings, tail, sides, centre of breast, 
belly, and vent black. Throat, breast, and sides of lower half of 
breast bright crimson. Eump dark crimson. Beak prussian- 
blue and red. Cheeks dark crimson. Eyes red. Cock. [Sper- 
mospiza guttata (V.) ; Shelley, t. c. p. 166.] 

[110. Macrosphenus flavicans, Cass.; Shelley, t. c. p. 160. 
This species was not in the British Museum^ and was one of the 
most interesting in the Collection.] 

111. Small Sun-bird. Cock. 

Head, throat, neck, back, wing-coverts, and rump bright 
metallic green. Line on upper part of breast below green of 
bright metallic purple. Lower half of breast, sides, and vent 
olive-greenish yellow. Centre of lower half of breast and belly 
lemon. Tuft of bright lemon on each side of breast. Wings 
brown; feathers edged with olive-green. Tail deep prussian- 
blue, edged with metallic green. Cock. Eyes dark brown. 



420 STORY OF THE BEAU COLUMN, 

Legs and feet black. [Anthothreptes hypodilus, Jard. ; Shelley, 
t. c. p. 162.] 

112. Thrush. 

Believed to be young of no. 69. 

113. Warbler. 

Same as no. 58. Cock. 

114. Sun-bird. Cock. 

Forehead black. Top of head next forehead bright metallic 
bluish green; behind this a patch of bright metallic purple. 
Cheeks and line over eye black. Centre of throat and upper 
portion of breast metallic golden green. On each side of 
throat, below cheeks, line of bluish metallic-green. Green on 
breast ends in a strip of prussian-blue ; feathers edged with 
crimson. Lower half of breast, belly, and vent dark sepia. 
Back of head, neck, back, wing-coverts, rump, and tail dark 
brown tinged with gold. Wings very dark sepia. Eyes dark 
brown. Cock. Legs and feet black. [Cinnyris angolensiSj 
Less. ; Shelley, t. c. p. 162.] 

115 and 116. Warblers. 

Top of head claret-grey tinged with brown. Neck and 
upper half of back reddish brown. Lower half of back and 
rump bright reddish brown. Line above and below eye white. 
Line from beak to eye black. Cheek light reddish brown. 
Line of white under cheeks. Throat white, with line of black 
on each side. Breast white, streaked with very dark greyish 
brown. Belly and vent white. Sides lighter reddish brown. 
Tail, upperside, upper half bright reddish brown, extremity 
black j four outer feathers on each side tipped with white. 
Wings very dark brown, almost black, with feathers edged with 
very light brown. Two bars of white-tipped feathers across 
shoulder of wing. Hens. Eye dark biown. [Erythropygia 
ruficauda, Sharpe; Shelley, t. c. p. 159.] 

117. Small Finch. Cock. 

Forehead, cheeks, throat, breast, belly, and vent rose-madder. 
Top of head, neck, back, and wing- coverts dark olive brownish 
grey. Wings very dark greyish brown. Tail black. Cock. 



OBNITHOLOQT, 421 

Eyes dark reddish brown. [Nigrita bicolor, Hartl.; Shelley, 
t. c. p. 165.] 

118. Dove. 

[Chalcopelia afra (L.) ; Shelley, t. c. p. 169.] 

119. Small Finch. 

Same as no. 30. Hen. \_Spermestes poensis {Fxdi^,) !] 

120. Sparrow. 

Hen. \Passer diffusus, Smith; Shelley, t. c. p. 164.] 

121. Small Finch. Hen. 

Top of head, neck, back, wing-coverts, and tail dark olive- 
green. Rump light olive-green. Cheeks and upper part of 
throat light pinkish brown. Throat, breast, belly, and vent 
greyish olive-green. A few black feathers with white spots on 
breast. Wings dark olive-green. Hen. Eyes hazel. Beak 
crimson. [Pytelia schlegeli, Sharpe; Shelley, t. c. p. 165.] 

122. Crow-like Bird. Cock. 

Eyes crimson, [Onychognathus hartlauhi, Gray; Shelley, 
t. c. p. 164.] 

123 and 124. Sun-birds. Cocks. 

Top of head, upper half of throat, and lower half of back 
bright metallic bluish green. Cheeks, neck, back, and rump 
metallic prussian-blue. Lower half of throat, breast, belly, and 
vent dirty white. A tuft of bright crimson-orange on each 
side of breast. Wings black; feathers edged with bright 
metallic green. Tail deep prussian-blue. Eyes very dark 
brown. Legs and feet black. [Anthothreptes aurantitty Verr. ; 
Shelley, t. c. p. 163.] 

125. SuN-BiRD. Hen. 

Forehead pale yellowish olive- green. Top of head, neck, 
back, and rump light ashen brown. Wings ashen brown; 
feathers edged with pale olive-green. Throat and upper half 
of breast a dirty whitish yellow. Breast, belly, and vent a pale 
olive-yellow. Tail-coverts metallic greeu. Tail dark blue, 
edged with metallic green. Eyes dark brown. Feet and legs 
black. [Anthothreptes aurantiay Verr. ; Shelley, t. c. p. 163.] 



422 STOET OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

126. Sun-bird. Hen. 

Top of head, back, neck, rump, and wing-coverts very dark 
olive-green. Throat dirty yellowish white. Breast, belly, and 
vent pale greyish olive-green. A tuft of bright lemon on each 
side of breast. Wings dark greyish brown; feathers edged 
vrith olive-green. Tail black ; feathers edged vrith olive-green. 
Hen. Eyes dark brown. Feet and legs black. [Cinnyris 
obscurus (Jard.) ; Shelley, t. c. p. 162.] 



It will be seen from the foregoing pages that Mr. Jameson 
was a careful and observant naturalist; and there is no doubt 
that had his opportunities for collecting been greater, and had 
he been less overshadowed by the weight of responsibility at the 
Yambuya Camp, we should have received from him a still greater 
increase of our knowledge of the ornithology of the Upper Congo. 
As it is, the collection has added many important details to the 
geographical distribution of the West- African Avifauna. Not 
the least interesting of the new facts brought forward in this 
collection is the indication of the route followed by some of 
our European species on their way to their winter home in 
South Africa, such as the Common Flycatcher, the Great 
Sedge- Warbler, the Curlew Sandpiper, &c. 

I must not forget to add that Mrs. Jameson has, with the 
utmost liberality, presented to the British Museum every speci- 
men from her late husband's collection which was considered to 
be of value to that Institution. 



ENTOMOLOGY. 423 

LIST OF COLEOPTEEA 

COLLECTED BY MR. JAMESON ON 

THE ARUWIMI. 

BY 
H. W. BATES, F.B,.S., F.L.S., etc. 



[The Ourculionidm have been named and described by Mr. H. W. Simpson, 
who has paid especial attention to this family.] 



Fam. CARABIDtE. 
Tefflus Jamesoni^ BateSj n. sp. 

T. Raffrayi (Chaud.) affinis, sed difFert, inter alia^ corpore toto 
glabro. Niger^ thorace sat angusto, hexagono, supra grosse 
confluenter et subrugose puiictato_, lateribus postice leviter 
sinuatis, angulis posticis obtusis; elytris graciliter ovatis, 
utrinque acute sexcostatis, costis prope apicem 2-6 et 3-5 
conjunctis, interstitiis multo grossius quam in cseteris spe- 
ciebus transverso-foveolatis et granulis medianis inter se valde 
distantibus. Subtus laevissimus ; tibiae anticae extus rectse ; 
antennae sicut in T. violaceo graciles ; frons inter oculos et in 
sulcis longitudinalibus rugoso-punctata^ medio et antice Isevi, 
sutura epistomali distincta. 

Long. 35 millim. 

This species belongs to the group defined by Kolbe as having 
(besides the raised suture) only six carinae on each elytron^ and 
differs from the otber species of the group in the absence of 
pilosity and the very coarse sculpture and widely-spaced line of 
granules in the interstices. The thorax is nearly as long as it 
is broad, the median dilatation is strongly angular, and the 
sides behind the angle oblique (very slightly sinuated) to the 
hind angles, which are therefore obtuse as in T. Raffrayi j and not 
rectangular as in T. juvenilis, from which also the species differs 
in the perfectly smooth episterna. 



124 ^TORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

Fam. DYNASTID^. 
Archon c!aNTAURUS, Fabi*. 

Fam. CETONim^:. 
Smaragdesthes mutica, Harold. 

Fam. EROTYLIDiE. 
LiNODESMUS c^cus_, Fabr. 

Fam. LAMIIDiE. 
Sternotomis regalis^ Fabr. 

VoLUMNiA westermanni, Tbomson. 

Fam. CUECULIONID^. 
Xenostes (Lithinid^), nov. gen. 
Rostrum longer than the head^ slightly convex, very robust, 
somewhat narrowed at base, and much thickened at apex; 
scrobes deep, abruptly curved and confluent beneath. Antennae 
rather short, very robust, pubescent ; scape a little swollen at 
apex and inserted in the middle of the rostrum ; joints of 
funiculus cylindrical and rather indistinctly separated, the first 
two a little longer than the others; club very large, obtuse. 
Eyes long and narrow. Prothorax convex, a little broader than 
long, with the sides slightly produced before the middle; 
straightly truncate at base. Elytra oval, convex. Legs mode- 
rately long, robust; the anterior and intermediate coxse con- 
tiguous; femora a little clavate; tibia obtusely ungulate at 
apex. Tarsi moderately long, spongy beneath. Abdomen elon- 
gate, its second segment a little longer than the two following, 
and separated from the first by a straight suture. 

Xenostes Jamesoni, n. sp. 

Sub -elongate, covered above with yellowish- brown and white 
scales. Rostrum rugose above, with sparse ferruginous setae at 
apex, and a deep lateral farrow in front of the eyes ; separated 
from the head by a fine transverse groove. Prothorax with 
small shining black tubercles and a short longitudinal ridge in 
the middle ; its constricted anterior portion nearly smooth, and 
defined posteriorly by a series of deep irregular transverse 
grooves. Elytra narrow at base, gradually dilated at the sides 



ENTOMOLOGY, 425 

to about the middle^ convex above^ nearly vertically declivous 
at apex, irregularly covered with squamose protuberances 
crowned with small shining black tubercles (similar to those on 
the prothorax), and presenting a large elevation on either side of 
the suture at the commencement of the declivity _, which is 
clothed with ashy scales, and has two sutural series of small 
black shining tubercles; apex truncate. Abdomen and legs 
densely clothed with fulvous scales. Long, (rostr. excl.) 18 
mm., lat. 9J mm. 

LiXUS COARCTATUS, Klug. 

Rhyncophorxts phcenicis, Fabr. 

OXYOPISTHEN PYGIDIALE, U. Sp. 

Elongate, depressed, black, shining, with a silvery spot on the 
epimera, and longitudinal bands on the sides of the meta- 
sternum, the first abdominal segment, and pygidium. 

E-ostrum smooth, shining, with two narrow slightly punctured 
grooves above, originating just beyond the eyes, and deepening 
towards the apex. Antennae shining ; scape cylindrical ; joints 
of funiculus of equal length. Head very finely punctured. 
Prothorax conical, much flattened above, rather dull, closely 
and deeply punctured, and with a fine longitudinal line in the 
middle. Scutellum oblong-ovate. Elytra a little broader than 
prothorax at base, slightly attenuated towards the apex, some- 
what depressed, shining, and with rather coarsely punctured 
striae ; interstices smooth and flattish ; the second interstice is 
interrupted near the disc by two obscure depressions. Pygi- 
dium conical, finely punctured, carinate, the carina somewhat 
produced at apex. Underside and legs of a brilliant black; 
metasternum and abdomen finely punctured; the first segment 
of the abdomen rather more coarsely so in the middle ; femora 
beneath clothed with fulvous setae. Long, (rostr. excl.) 12 
mm., lat. 3^ mm. 

$ . Pygidium more acutely produced at apex ; posterior tibia 
toothed near the base, and somewhat longer than in the male. 

This species is allied to 0. linea-alba, Thom., but is easily 
distinguished by the absence of any white markings on the 
prothorax and elytra. 

2f 



426 BTOET OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 



LEPIDOPTEEA EHOPALOCEEA. 

BY 
F. D. GODMAN", P.R.S., and OSBEET SALYIJS", P.R. 



The collection of Butterflies made by the late Mr. James S. 
Jameson during the expedition undertaken for the relief of 
Emin Pasha has been submitted to us by Mrs. Jameson for 
determination. 

The collection contains about 218 specimens belonging to 
132 species. So far as we can now determine, it was formed 
either in the valley of the Lower Congo between Matadi 
and Stanley Pool, or at the camp at Yambuya on the Aruwimi 
river. 

The very adverse conditions under which the specimens were 
collected and the subsequent treatment they must have under- 
gone after Mr. Jameson^s death account for the smallness of 
the collection_, as from some of the notes in the foregoing 
diary it is evident that many more specimens must have been 
preserved than ever reached Mrs. Jameson's hands. 

Mr. Jameson made notes of his captures, and numbered each 
specimen on the paper containing it ; but the numbers have in 
many cases been lost, so that we are unable to collate the 
specimens with the notes except in comparatively few instances. 

The general relationship of the Butterflies of the Congo 
Valley, as shown in this collectiou, is evidently with the Tro- 
pical portion of the West Coast of Africa, many of the species 
being the same as those found at Calabar, the Cameroons, and 
other neighbouring places ; and some of these, such as Papilio 
hesperus and P. zalmoxis, are characteristic of the region. 

Further researches will, no doubt, prove this great valley 
of the Congo to be one of the richest of the whole of Africa 
in the variety of its natural produotions. 



ENTOMOLOGY. 427 

At present the subject has been scarcely touched by the 
collector^ and it is greatly to be regretted that so ardent a 
naturalist as Mr. Jameson should, have had so few opportunities 
for following his studies^ and that so small a portion of his 
collections should have reached this country. 

RHOPALOCERA. 

Fam. NYMPIIALID^. 
Subfam. D a n a i n iE. 

1 Amauris vashti. 

Dajiais vashti, Butl. Cist. Ent. i. p. i. 

Amauris vashti^ Butl. Lep. Ex. p. 54^ t. 21. f. 1 ; H. G. 
Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 467. 

Hab. Nkalama R., April 18th. No. 63. ''Very scarce; 
deep forest on river-bank. ^^ 

One specimen, agreeing with the type from Old Calabar, and 
with other examples in our collection from the Cameroon 
Mountains. 

2. Amauris niavius. 

Papilio niavius, Linn. Mus. Ulr. p. 253 ; Clerck, Icon. t. 32. 
f. 2. 

Hab. Yambuya Camp, Aruwimi River. 

One example agreeing with others from various places on the 
West Coast. 

3. Amauris egialea. 

Papilio egialea. Cram. Pap. Ex. t. 192. f. D. 
Amauris egialea, H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 467. 
Hab. Near Mswata. No. 22. '' Rather scarce. Distributed 
generally along the river.^^ 
One specimen. 

4. Amauris damocles. 

Papilio damocles. Pal. Beauv. Ins. Afr. et Am. p. 239, t. 6. 
ff. 3, a, b. 

Amauris damocles, H. G. Smith. P. Z. S. 1890, p. 467. 

iZa^. Inkissi R., April 16th. No. 31. " Scarce, usually met 
with in deep shady forest.^^ 

A single specimen, with more white at the base of the secon- 

2f2 



428 iSTORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

daries than shown in Palisot de Beauvois^s figure, but agreeing 
with many West-Coast specimens. 

5. Danais petiverana. 

Danais limniace, var. petiverana, Doubl. & Hew. Gen. Diurn. 
Lep. p. 93, t. 12. f. 1. 

Tirumala petiverana, H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 467. 
Hab. Yambuya Camp and Congo Valley. 
Two examples, without numbers. 

6. Danais chrysippus. 

Papilio chrysippus, Linn. Mus. Ulr. p. 263; Cram. Pap. Ex. 
t. 118. flP. B, C. 

Hab. Mpalaballa, 27th March. No. 21. '^Common along 
the whole march.^^ 

A single male specimen, without a trace of white on the 
secondaries. 

Subfam. Satyrin^, 

7. Melanitts leda. 

Melanitis leda (Linn.) ; H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 472. 
Hab. Inkissi Eiver. No. 3. " Decidedly scarce, only a few 
seen in the deep shade of the forest." 

8. Idiomorphus nanodes. 

Idiomorphas nanodes, H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 472. 

Hab. Yambuya Camp. 

Also in Mr. Bonny's Collection. 

9. Mycalesis auricruda. 

Mycalesis auricruda, Butl. Cat. Sat. Brit. Mus. p. 131, t. 3. 
f. 6. 

Hab. Vombo. No number. 

A single specimen, agreeing with Mr. Butler's type in the 
British Museum. 

10. Mycalesis safitza. 

Mycalesis safitza, Hew. Gen. Diurn. Lep. p. 394, t. 66. f. 3; 
Ex. Butt. Mycalesis, t. i. f. 4. 

Hab. Vombo, April 6th. No. 45. *^ Commonest of this genus 
in shaded spots. '^ 



ENTOMOLOGY. 429 

11. Mycalesis, sp.? 

Hab. Kimbamwanga, lOth April. No. 52. '^ Common." 
A single specimen, in very worn condition. 

12. Ypthima itonia? 

Ypthima itonia, Hew. Trans. Ent. Soc. ser. 2, ii. p. 287^ t. 18. 

£. 13. 

Hab. Near Mswata. No. 54. " Very scarce in open paths.^^ 
A single specimen, agreeing fairly with a Zanzibar example 

which we attribute to Y, itonia^ the type of which came from 

the '' White Nile." 

13. Ypthima, sp. ? 

Hab. Vombo, April 6th. No. 49. " Common." 
A single specimen, in bad condition, agreeing with one in 
our collection from the Cameroons. 

Subfam. A c r ^e i n ^. 

14. ACR^A VESTALIS. 

Acrcea vestalis, Feld. Reise d. Nov. Lep. p. 369, t. 46. 
ff. 8, 9. 

Hab, Mwembi, 6th April. No. 13. '' Common." 
A single female specimen. 

15. ACR^A PSEUDEURYTA, 

Acrcea pseudeuryta, Stand, in litt. 

Wings dark brown, primaries crossed by a wide tawny band, 
the inner edge of which passes the end of the cell to a little 
beyond the middle of the inner margin and is sharply defined 
and very undulating, the outer edge at first passes towards the 
middle of the outer margin, and then curves round towards the 
anal angle, where it is deeply dentate ; the whole of the distal 
area of the secondaries is tawny, sharply defined along the 
inner border, which includes a row of dark spots, outwardly 
the tawny colour gradually blends into the outer border, and is 
clearly marked by the dark nervules and a dark line on each 
interspace, that below the first submedian branch being double. 
Beneath the primaries are paler than above ; the secondaries 
are paler brown at the base and marked with a number of 
nearly round, clearly defined black spots, a light band crosses 



4:30 STOBY OF THE BEAR COLUMN, 

the wing beyond the cell, and, as well as the outer portion of 
the wing, is divided by dark nervules and a dark line on each 
interspace ; the abdomen tawny, with dark brown transverse 
marks, especially towards the proximal end ; the thorax, pro- 
thorax, and head dark brown spotted M'ith white. 

Hab. Yambuya Camp. No. 78, «. "On river-banks.'* 
A distinct species, allied to A. euryta (Linn.), but differing in 
the darker brown colour of the wings, the wider tawny band 
of the primaries, the greater extent of the tawny discal area of 
the secondaries, and their darker and more sharply defined 
base ; the outer border, especially towards the apical angle, is 
much darker, and the dark nervures and the intermediate lines 
much more clearly defined. 

Dr. Staudinger, to whom we submitted the single male speci- 
men before us, rightly, we think, considers it separable from 
A. euryta, and suggested the name we employ. 

16. Acit^A ELONGATA. 

Plnnema cdongata, Butl. Cist. Ent. i. p. 212. 

Acrcea eurita, Hew. Ex. Lep. Acr(Ea, t. 5. fp. 28, 30. 

Hab. Congo Valley. No number or special locality. 

A female specimen, agreeing with others in our collection 
from the Cameroons. The inner margin of the primaries is 
dark brown and not tawny as in Hewitson's figure of the female 
referred by Mr. Butler to this species. 

17. ACR^A PSEUDEGINA. 

Papilio egina, Stoll, Suppl. Cram. t. 25. fi^. 3, 3 c (nee Cram.). 

Acroia pseudegma,V^ e^iiv . in Doubl. & Hew. Gen. Diurn. Lep. 
p. 531. 

Hab. Banza Manteka, 1st April ; Kimbamwango, 10th April. 
Nos. 6, 12. " Common in great variety. E.iver-banks and all 
open spaces.'^ 

Two females, with the subapical spot on the primaries rather 
large. 

18. ACR^A ROGERSI. 

Acrcta rogersi, Hew. Ent. Monthly Mag. x. p. 57. 

Hab. Congo Valley. 

A single small specimen. 



ENTOMOLOGY. 431 

19. ACR^A ORINA. 

Acrma orina, Hew. Ent. Monthly Mag. xi. p. 130 ; Ex. Butt. 
Acraea, t. 7. ff. 43, 48. 

Hab. Congo valley. 

A single example, whicli agrees with Hewitson^s types from 
Fernando Po. 

20. ACR^A CEPHEUS. 

Papilio cepheus, Linn. Mus. Ulr. p. 252; Clerck, Icon. t. 43. 
f. 4. 

Acraea cepheus, H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 466. 

Hab. Bolobo, Congo Valley. No special locality^ and no 
number. 

A male and two females. 

21. ACR^A DEJANA, Sp. U. 

Acrcea circeis, H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 466 (nee 
Drury) . 

Allied to A. circeis of Drury, but diflPers in the greater 
width of the yellow discal patch of the secondaries, its outer 
margin being curved and subparallel to the outer margin of the 
wing instead of nearly straight and transverse ; the primaries 
have white scales within the semihyaline subapical spots, there 
is also a patch of scales within the cell, and a large one between 
the first and second submedian branches, but hardly any below 
the first branch. A. circeis has only two spots on the primaries, 
and these are yellowish ; the smaller is between the first and 
second median branches, and the larger is below the first branch 
near the anal angle ; the insect, too, appears to be of larger 
size. 

Hab. Congo Valley, no special locality. 

We have several specimens closely allied to that now de- 
scribed, but presenting slight difi'erences which prove to be 
specific ; these, again, represent two forms, one from Angola 
and one from Fernando Po. They all diff'er from the true 
A. circeis in having more spots on the primaries and a larger 
yellow discal patch on the secondaries. We thus have evidence 
of at least four forms of this section of Acraa, but at present 
we content ourselves with describing the one represented i n 
the present collection. 



432 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

23. AcRvKA LYCOA. 

Acrcea lycoa, Godt. Enc. Meth. ix. p. 239. 

Hab. Congo Valley. No number and no special locality. A 
damaged specimen, agreeing with others in our collection thus 
named. 

23. AcRiEA CYDONIA. 

Acrcea cydonia, Ward, Ent. Monthly Mag. x. p. 59 ; H. G. 
Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 466. 

Hah. Inkissi Kiver, 16th April. No. 30. " Generally com- 
mon in shady glades. '^ 

Three specimens, agreeing with others thus named in our 
collection. 

24. ACR^A EPONINA. 

Papilio eponina, Cram. Pap. Ex. t. 268. ff. A, E. 

Acr(Ba eponina, H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 466. 

Hab. Vombo, April 6th. 

Two specimens, one agreeing closely with Cramer^s figure ; 
in the other the common fuscous band is united to the costal 
band of the primaries at its distal end. 

25. ACR^A SERENA. 

Acrcea serena (Fabr.), H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 466. 
Papilio eponina, $ , Cram. Pap. Ex. t. 268. ff. C, D. 
Hab. Congo Valley. No precise locality and no number. 

Subfam. Nym fhalin^, 

26. Lachnoptera iole. 

Papilio lole, Fabr. Sp. Ins. ii. p. 78. 

Lachnoptera iole, Doubl. & Hew. Gen. Diurn. Lep. p. 161, 
t. 22. f. 2. 

Hab. Inkissi Uiver, April 16th, 
One male specimen. 

27. Atella phalantha. 

Papilio phalantha, Drury, 111. Ex. Ent. i. p. 41, t. 21. ff. 1, tl. 
Atella columhina, H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 467. 
Hab. Inkissi River, April 10th. 
A pair of this common species. 



ENTOMOLOGY. 433 

28. Hypanartia delius. 

Papillo delius, Drury^ 111. Ex. Ent. iii. p. 17, t, 14. ff. 5, 6. 
Yambuya Camp. 
Two specimens. 

29. JUNONIA WESTERMANNI. 

Junonia westermanni, Westw. Ent. Monthly Mag. vi. p. 278, 
Hab. Yambuya Camp. 
Two examples. 

30. JuNONIA CLELIA. 

Junonia delta (Cram.), H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 467. 
No special locality and no number. 

31. Precis terea. 

Papilio terea, Drury, 111. Ex. Ent. ii. p. 82, t. 18. ff. 3, 4. 
Hab. Banza Manteka, April 1st. No. 77. 
Three examples. 

32. Precis pelasgis. 

Vanessa pelasgis, Godt. Enc. Meth. ix. Suppl. p. 820. 
Precis pelasgis. Trim. S. Afr. Butt. i. p. 236. 
Hab. Inkissi River, April 16th. No. 8. 
" Scarce, in bright open glades.'' 

33. Precis sophia. 

Papilio sophia, Fabr. Ent. Syst. iii. p. 248; Don. In^. Ind. 
t. 36. f. 3. 

Hab. Congo Valley. 

One example. No special locality and no number. 

34. SaLAMIS ETHYRA. 

Salamis ethyra, Feisth. Ann. Soc. Ent. Fr. 1850, p. 250. 
Hab. Inkissi Biver, April 16th. 

35. Salamis cacta. 

Salamis cacta (Fabr.), H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 4ii\7. 
Hab. Aruwimi Biver. No. 79, a. 
*' Not observed on the Congo.'* 



484 STORY OF THE HEAR COLUMN. 

36. Salamis anacardti. 

Papilio anacardti, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 755. 

Salamis anacardii, H. G. Smith_, P. Z. S. 1890^ p. 467, 

Hab, Yambuya Camp. 

37. EURYTELA OPHIONE. 

Papilio opluone, Cram. Pap. Ex. t. 114. ff. E, P. 
Hab. Mswata, April 16tli. 

38. EuRYTELA ETHOSEA. 

Papilio ethosea, Drury, 111. Ex. Ent. iii. p. 51, t. 37. ff. 3, 4. 
Hab. Congo Valley. 

A single specimen, with hardly any indication of the usual 
discal spot on the primaries. 

39. EURYTELA HIARBAS. 

Papilio hiarb as, Drury, 111. Ex. Ent. iii. p. 17, t. 14. ff. 1, 2. 
Eurytela hiarbas, H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 473. 
Hab. Congo Valley. 

40. Ergolis enotrea. 

Papilio enotrea, Cram. Pap. Ex. t. 236. ff. A, B. 
Ergolis enolria, H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 473. 
Hab. Congo Valley. 

41. Hypanis ilithyia. 

Papilio ilithyia, Drnry, 111. Ex. Ent. ii. p. 29, t. 17. ff. 1, 2. 
Hypanis ilithyia, H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 473. 
Hab. Nkalama Ptiver, April 18th. No. 44. 
*^ Common on river-banks and open glades.^* 

42. CrENIS CONCORDIA. 

Harma concordia^ Hopff. Monatsb. k. Ak. Wiss. Berl. 1855, 
p. 641 ; Peters, Heise n. Mossamb. p. 391, t. 22. ff. 3, 4. 
Hab. Congo Valley. 
A single male specimen. 

43. Crenis pechuelii. 

Crenis pechuelii, Dewitz, Nov. Act. Ac C. L.-C. Nat. Cur. xli. 
(2) no. 2, p. 195, t. 26. f. 1. 
Hab. Mswata, April 16th. No. 26. 
" Common on high open ground away from rivers .'* 



ENTOMOLOGY. 435 

44. Crenis vadimonis. 

Crenis vadimonis^ Druce^ Ent. Monthly Mag. xiv. p. 226. 
Crenis ribbei, Dewitz^ Nov. Act. Ac. C. L.-C. Nat. Cur. xli. 
(2) no. 2, p. 196, t. 26. f. 3 (1879). 
Hab. Kimbamwanga, Congo Valley. 

45. Crenis amulia. 

Papilio amulia, Cram. Pap. Ex. t. 180. ff. C, D. 
Hab. Mpwka Eiver, April llth. No. 73. 

' 46. Crenis benguel^e. 
Crenis benyuelm, Chapman, Ent. Monthly Mag. viii. p. 175. 
Hab. Congo Valley. 

47. Hypolimnas salmacis. 

Papilio salmacis, Dmry, 111. Ex. Ent. ii. p. 14, t. 8. ff. 1, 2. 
Hypolimnas salmacis, H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 469. 
Hab. Upper Congo, Yambuya Camp. 

48. Hypolimnas anthedon. 

Diadema anthedon, Doubl. Ann. Nat. Hist. xvi. p. 181 ; 
Doubl. & Hew. Gen. Diurn. Lep. t. 37. f. 2. 

Hab. Yambuya Camp. 

This also varies slightly from the figure, the transverse band 
of the primaries being narrower and the dark outer border of 
the secondaries wider than in Hewitson^s figure. 

49. Hypolimnas stanleyi. 

Hypolimnas stanleyi, H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 467. 
Hab. Yambuya Camp, 
One male specimen. 

50. Hypolimnas dubius. 

Papilio dubius, Pal. Beauv. Ins. Afr. et Am. p. 238, t. 6. f. 2, 
a, b. 

Hypolimnas dubius, H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 469. 

Hab. Vombo, April 6th. No. 53. 

A single specimen, agreeing with a dark form of this species ; 
common on the West Coast. 

51. PsEUDACR^A LUCRETIA. 

Papilio lucretia, Cram. Pap. Ex. t. 45. ff. C, D. 
Hab. Yambuya Camp. 



436 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

52. PsEUDACRiEA HOSTILIA. 

Papilio hostilia, Dmry, 111. Ex. Ent. iii. p. 38, t. 28. ff. 5, 6. 
Hab. Nkalama River, April 18t}i. 

53. PsEUDACR^A SEMIRE. 

Papilio semire, Cram. Pap. Ex. t. 194. ff. B^ C. 
Hab, Congo Valley. No special locality. 

54. Catuna crithea. 

Papilio crithea, Drury, 111. Ex. Ent. ii. p. 29, t. 16. ff. 5^ 6. 
IcBva crithea, H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 469. 
Hab, Congo Valley. 

55. Catuna duodecimpunctata. 

Icera duodecimpunctata, Snell, Tijdschr. Ent. xv. p. 15, t. 1. 
ff. 1, 2 (1872). 

Aterica clorana, Druce, Trans. Ent. Soc. 1874, p. 157. 
Hab. Congo Valley. 

56. Neptis jamesoni, sp. n. 

Male. Above brownish black ; nearly the whole of the cell 
(the lower and apical portions of which are bluish), seven more 
or less elongated spots beyond the cell from the costa to the 
inner margin (that next the costa small and narrow, less than 
half the second and third, the fourth very small and roundish, 
the fifth oval, the sixth roundish^ and the seventh next the 
inner margin large and bifid), white; four submarginal lines 
whitish, the innermost and that next the costa faint : secon- 
daries with a wide transverse white band deeply indented on 
its lower margin ; four submarginal bands, the innermost dusky, 
the rest whitish, the third fropa the margin widest. Underside 
as above but paler, and all the white marks and the submar- 
ginal lines clearer ; the spot over the cell of the primaries is 
divided towards its distal end by two transverse black lines ; the 
base of the costa of both wings and two subparallel curved 
bands towards the base of the secondaries white. 

Hab. Congo Valley. No special locality. 

A conspicuous species, not very nearly allied to any that we 
are acquainted with, but perhaps closer to N. nebrode^, Hew., 
than to any other known Neptis. 



ENTOMOLOGY. 437 

57. Neptis nemetes. 

Neptis nemetes, Hew. Ex. Butt. Neptis, ff. ], 2; II. G. Smith, 
P. Z. S. 1890, p. 467. 
Hab. Congo Valley. 

58. Neptis agatha. 

Papilio agatha, Cram. Pap. Ex. t. 327. ff. A, B. 
Neptis agatha, H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 467. 
Hab, Vombo. 

59. Neptis, sp. 

A single specimen, in poor condition ; allied to A^. nicomedes, 
Hew. 

Hab. Congo Valley. 

60. EURYPHENE MANDINGA. 

Euryphene mandlnga, Feld. Wien. ent. Mon. iv. p. 108; li. 
G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 469. 

Hab. Congo Valley ; no special locality. 

61. Euryphene mardania. 

Papilio mardania, Fabr. Ent. Syst. iii. p. 249. 
Hab. Congo Valley. 

62. Euryphene sophus. 

Papilio sophus, Fabr. Ent. Syst. iii. p. 46. 
Euryphene sophus, Doubl. & Hew. Gen. Diurn. Lep. t. 43. 
f. 4. 

Hab. Yambuya Camp, March 7th. 
A single female example. 

63. Euryphene, sp. 

Hab. Congo Valley. A male and female, without special 
locality. 

We have been unable to find a name for this butterfly, which 
is allied to E. doralice. Hew. We hesitate, however, to name 
it, seeing that the genus is in considerable confusion. 

64. Euryphene, sp. ? 

Hab. Congo Valley. No special locality. 

A female, similar to E. aramis, Hew., but with the buff spots 
of the upper surface of the wings replaced by crimson ; that of 
the primaries extends nearer to the base of the wings. 



438 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN, 

65. ROMAL^OSOMA MEDON ? 

> Papilio medon, Jjmn. 

Hab. Congo Valley. Four males and a female. 

Doubtfully referable to this species. Tbe males differ con- 
siderably from one another_, two of them being of the form 
described by Mr. Butler as R. viridinota. 

66. RoMALiEOSOMA, Sp. ? 

Hab. Congo Valley. A male and female^ without exact 
locality. 

Allied to R. ocypete, Hew., but with the underside of the wings 
much less distinctly marked. 

67. ROMAL^OSOMA, Sp. ? 

Hab. Congo Valley. A single male specimen, without special 
locality. 

Dr. Staudinger, to whom we sent this specimen, considers it 
to be between R. inanum, Butl., and R. rana, Stand. ; but that, 
without a series of specimens, it was not desirable to describe it. 

68. RoMALiEOSOMA RUSPINA. 

Romalceosoma ruspina, Hew. Ex. Butt. Romalaeosoma, t. 2. 
&.6,7; H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 470. 
Hab. Congo Valley. No special locality. 

69. Aterica afer. 

Papilio afer, Drury, HI. Ex. Ent. iii. p. 49, t. 36. ff 1, 2. 
Hab. Yambuya Camp. 

70. Aterica cupavia. 

Papilio cupavia, Cram. Pap. Ex. t. 193. ff. E, F. 
Aterica cupavia, H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 469. 
Hab. Above Mswata, May 7th, and Aruwimi River. 

71. Aterica, sp. ? 

Hab. Nkalama River, April 18th. 

A female specimen of a species allied to A. veronica. 

72. Cymothoe theodosia. 
Cymothoe theodosia, Stand. 

Cymothoe theodota, H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 471. 
^ . Similar to C. theodota, but the dark outer border of both 
primaries and secondaries less clearly defined, the submarginal 



ENTOMOLOGY. 439 

lunules being tlius more conspicuous ; the secondaries have the 
outer border more sinuated. The female is very similar to that 
sex of 0. theodota, but the interior of the secondaries is creamy 
white^ and there is no discal tawny patch. 
Hah. Aruwimi River. 

73. Cymothoe theobene.. 

Harma theobene, Doubl. & Hew. Gen. Diurn. Lep. t. 40. f. 3. 
Cymothoe theobena, H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 471. 
Hab. Congo Valley. 

74. Cymothoe jodutta. 

Harma jodutta, Westw. Gen. Diurn. Lep. p. 289. 
Hab, Congo Valley. Three males and three females_, without 
special locality. 

75. Cymothoe c^enis. 

Papilio ccsnis, Drury, 111. Ex. Ent. ii. p. 33, t. 19. ff. 1, 2. 

Hab. Vombo. 

Two males and four females ; the latter all differ from one 
another; one of them is very similar to the male, another 
resembles the insect figured by Hewitson as Harma adelina, 
the other two are intermediate between these two extremes. 
Whether all really belong to one species must remain an open 
question, as the materials are not sufficient to settle the point 
satisfactorily. 

7Q. Cymothoe sangaris. 

Nymphalis sangaris, Godt. Enc. Meth. ix. p. 384 ; Lucas^ Lep. 
Ex. p. 129, t. 69. f . 2. 

Hab. Aruwimi E-iver. 

Three males, all with a common dark transverse band on the 
under surface of the wings, a character which appears to sepa- 
rate this species from the nearly allied C. coccinata. 

77. Cymothoe hesiodus? 

Harma hesiodus, Hew. Ex. Butt. Harma, t. 4. ff. 15-18. 

Hab. Aruwimi river. 

A single female, either of this or a closely allied species. 

78. Charaxes castor. 

Papilio castor, Cram. Pap. Ex. t. 37. ff. C, D. 
Charaxes castor, H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 4 72. 
Hab. Aruwimi River. 



i40 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN, 

79. ChARAXES BRUTUS. 

Papilio brutus, Cram. Pap. Ex. t. 241. fF. E, E. 
Charaxes brutus, H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 472- 
Hab. Aruwimi Eiver. 

80. Charaxes lucretius. 

Papilio lucretius, Cram. Pap. Ex. t. 82. ff. E, F. 
Hab. Aruwimi River. 

81. Charaxes etesipe. 

Nymplialis etesipe, Godt. Enc. Metli. ix. p. 355. 
Charaxes etesipe, H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 472. 
Hab. Upper Congo, Aruwimi River. 

82. Charaxes tirtdates. 

Papilio tiridates, Cram. Pap. Ex. t. 161. ff. A, B. 
Charaxes tiridates, H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 472. 
Hab. Aruwimi River. 

83. Charaxes numenes. 

Nymphalis numenes, Hew. Ex. Butt., Nymphalis, t/2. ff. 9-11* 
Hab. Aruwimi River. 

84. Charaxes smaragdalis. 

Charaxes smaragdalis, Butl. P. Z. S. 1865, p. 630, t. 36. f. 5; 
Lep. Ex. p. 5, t. 2. f. 1. 
Hab. Yambuya Camp. 
Two males, agreeing with the type. 

85. Charaxes fphyra. 

Nymphalis ephyra, Godt. Enc. Meth. ix. p. 355. 
Hab. Aruwimi River. 

86. Charaxes carteri. 

Charaxes carteri, Butl. Ent. Monthly Mag. xviii. p. 108. 
Hab. Nkalaraa River, April 18th. 

87. Charaxes candiope. 

Nymphalis candiope, Godt. Enc. Meth. ix. p. 353. 
Charaa^es candiope, H. G. Smith, P.Z. S. 1890, p. 472. 
Hab. Aruwimi River. 

88. Charaxes eupale. 

Papilio eupale, Drury, III. Ex. Ent. iii. p. 7, t. 6. f. 3. 
Charaxes eupale, H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 472. 
Hab. Aruwimi River. 



ENTOMOLOGY, 411 

89. Charaxes? zingha. 

Papilio zingha J Cram. Pap. Ex. t. 315. ff. B, C. 
Hab. Yambuya Camp. 

90. Philognoma varanes. 

Papilio varanes, Cram. Pap. Ex. t. 160. ff. D, E. 
Philognoma varanes, H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890^ p. 472. 
Hab. Congo Valley. 

Fam. EEYCINID^. 

91. Abisara herwigii. 

Abisara herwigii, Dewitz^ Deutsch. ent. Zeitschr. 1886, 
p. 429, t. 2. ff. 1, 1 «, 1 6, 1 c, 
Hab, Congo Valley. 
A male with no special locality. 

Fam. LYCiENID^. 

92. Lyc^na juba. 

Papilio juba, Fabr. Mant. Ins. p. 82. 

Lampides juba, Butl. Cat. Fabr. Lep. p. 163, t. 2. f. 9. 

Hab. Congo Valley. 

A male without exact locality. 

93. Lycena ISIS. 

Papilio isis, Drury, 111. Ex. Ent. ii. p. 6, t. 3. ff. 4, 5. 

Hab. Congo Valley. 

A male without special locality. 

94. Lycena pulchra. 

Lyccena pulchra, Murr. Trans. Ent. Soc. 1874, p. 524, t. 10. 
£e. 7, 8. 

Hab. Vombo. 

A pair in poor condition, 

95. Lyc^na, sp. ? 

One example near L. gamra of Lederer, 
Hab. Inkissi River, April 16th. 

96. Lyc^nesthes larydas. 

Papilio larydas, Cram. Pap. Ex. t. 282. f. H. 

Hab. Congo Valley. 

A male without exact locality. 

2a 



442 STORY OF THE REAR COLUMN. 

97. Lyc^nesthes sylvanus. 

Papilio sylvanus, Drury, III. Ex. Ent. ii. p. 5^ t. 3. ff. 2, 3. 

Hab. Congo Valley. 

A male without exact locality. 

98. LYCiENESTHES, Sp. ? 

Hab. Congo Valley. 
A male specimeiic 

99. lOLAUS lULUS. 

lolaus iulus, Hew. 111. Diurn. Lep._, Suppl. p. 9, t. 4. 
fF. 41-43. 

Hab. Congo Valley. 

A damaged male, probably of this species, without exact 
locality. 

100. Myrtna nomenia. 

Myrina nomenia. Hew. Trans. Ent. Soc. 1874, p. 353 ; III. 
Diurn. Lep. Suppl. p. 25, t. 3Z>. ff. 105, 106. 
Hab. Inkissi River, April 16th. 

101. HvrOLYC^ENA ANTIFAUNUS. 

lolaus antif annus, Doubl. & Hew. Gen. Diurn. Lep. t. 75. f. 1. 

Hab. Congo Valley. 

A single male specimen, without exact locality. 

102. PiTHECOPS ELOREA. 

Papilio elorea, Fabr. Ent. Syst. iii. p. 194; Don. Nat. Rep. 
ii. t. 53. 

Hab. Kiliamanga? (probably Kirabamanga). 

A single example agreeing with Donovan^s figure. 

103. Pentila tachykoides. 

Pentila tachyroides, Dewitz, Nov. Act. Ac. C. L.-C. G. Nat. 
Cur. xli. pt. 2, no. 2, p. 201, t. 62. f. 5. 
Hab. Bolobo. 

104. Liptena ilma. 

Liptena ilma, Hew. Ex. Butt., Pent. ^ Lipt. t. 2. f. 13. 
Hab. Near Ms\>ata. 



ENTOMOLOGY, 443 

Fam. PAPILIONID^. 
Subfam. P i e r i n ^. 
i05. Terias brigitta. 

Papilio brigitta, Cram. Pap. Ex. t. 331. ff. B, C, 
Hab. Banza Manteka,, April 1st. 
One example, probably a female of tbis species. 

106. Terias senegalensis. 

Terias senegalensis, Boisd. Sp. Gen. i. p. 672. 
Hab. Congo Valley^ Mpalaballa, and elsewhere. 
Several specimens, probably of this species. 

107. Pieris dentigera ? 
Pieris dentigera, Butl. 
Hab. Congo Valley. 

108. Pieris phaola. 

Pieris phaola, Doubl. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. xx. p. 6o. 
Hab. Congo Valley. 

109. BeLENOTS SYLVIA. 

Papilio Sylvia, Fabr. Syst. Ent. p. 470. 

Belenois sylvia, H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 464. 

Hab. Inkissi River, April 16th. 

110. Eronia pharis. 

Pieris pharis, Boisd. Sp. Gen. i. p. 443. 
Hab. Congo Valley. 
One male example. 

111. Eronia argia. 

Papilio argia, Fabr. Syst. Ent. p. 470. 

Eronia argia, H. G. Smith, P.Z. S. 1890, p. 465. 

Hab. Congo Valley. 

112. Pieris calypso. 

Papilio calypso, Drury, 111. Ex. Ent. ii. p. 30, t. 17. ff. 3, 4. 
Hab. Congo Valley. 

113. Catopsilia pyrene. 

Colias pyrene^ Swains. Zool. 111. i. t. 51. 

Catopsilia pyrene, H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 465. 

Hab, Congo Valley. 

2g 2 



444 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

Subfam. Papilionin^e. 

114. Papilio policenes. 

Papilio policenes, Cram. Pap. Ex. t. 37. ff. A, B ; H. Gr. Smith, 
P.Z. S. 1890, p. 464. 

Hah. Inkissi Eiver_, April 16tli. 

115. Papilio antheus. 

Papilio antheus, Cram. Pap. Ex. t. 234. ff. B, C; H. G. Smith, 
P. Z.S. 1890, p. 464. 

Hab. Inkissi Biver, April 16th. 

116. Papilio corinneus. 

Papilio corinneus, Berth. Mem. Bologna, p. 9, t. 1. f. 1. 
Hab. Inkissi Biver, April 16th. 

117. Papilio leonidas. 

Papilio leonidas, Eabr. Ent. Syst. iii. p. 35 ; H. G. Smith, 
P. Z. S. 1890, p. 464. 

Hab. Congo Valley. No exact locality. 

118. Papilio ridleyanus. 

Papilio ridleyanus. White, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. xii. p. 262; 
Doubl. & Hew. Gen. Diurn. Lep. t. 3. f. 3. 
Hab. Inkissi Biver, April 16th. 

119. Papilio tynder^eus. 

Papilio tyndercBUSj Pabr. Ent. Syst. iii. p. 35 ; H. G. Smith 
P. Z. S. 1890, p. 464. 
Hab. Yambuya Camp. 

120. Papilio demoleus. 

Papilio demoleus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 753 ; Cram. Pap. Ex. 
t. 231. ff. A, B ; H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 464. 
Hah. Mpalaballa, March 27th ; Yambuya Camp. 

121. Papilio menestheus. 

Papilio menestheus, Drury, 111. Ex. Ent. ii. p. 15, t. 9. ff. 1, 2 ; 
H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 464. 

Hab. Congo Valley. No special locality. 

122. Papilio bromius. 

Papilio hromius, Doubl. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. xvi. p. 176; 
H. G. Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 464. 
Hah. Inkissi Biver, April 16th. 



ENTOMOLOGY, 445 

123. Papilio erinus. 

Papilio erinus, Gray, Cat. Lep. Ins. Brit. Mus. i. p. 26. 
Hab, Inkissi Eiver^ April 1 6tli. 

124. Papilio hesperus. 

Papilio hesperus, Westw. Arc. Ent. i. p. 189, t. 48, 
Hab. Congo Valley. No precise locality. 

125. Papilio merope. 

Papilio merope?, Cram. Pap. Ex. t. 151. ff. A, B; H. G. 
Smith, P.Z, S. 1890, p. 464. 

Hab, Kiiilu Eiver, April 5th. 

One male specimen, agreeing with Sierra Leone examples in 
our collection. 

126. Papilio zalmoxis. 

Papilio zalmoxis^ Hew. Ex. Butt. Papilio^ t. 6. f. 18 ; H. G. 
Smith, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 464. 

Hab. Congo Valley. No precise locality. 

Fam. HESPERID^. 

127. Ismene forestan. 

Papilio for est an, Cram. Pap. Ex. t. 391. ff. E, P. 
Hab. Banza Manteka. 

128. Tagiades flesus. 

Tagiades flesus, Fahr. Spec. Ins. ii. p. 135. 

Papilio ophion, Drury, 111. Ex. Ent. iii. p. 21, t. 17. ff. 1, 2. 

Hab. Congo Valley. 

129. Proteides ophiusa. 

Hesperia ophiusa, Hew. Trans Ent. Soc. ser. 3, ii. p. 497. 
Hab, Congo Valley. 

130. 131, 132. 

There are representatives of three other species of Hesperidse 
which, in the present state o£ the nomenclature of the family, 
we cannot determine with certainty. 



446 8T0BY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

LEPIDOPTEEA HETEROCEEA. 

BY 
HERBERT DRUCE, F.L.S. 



Fam. SPHINGIDJE. 
Subf am. Macroglossin^. 

Hemaris, Dalm. 

Hemaris hylas. 

Sphinx hylas, Linn. Mant. i. p. 539. 

Hemaris hylas, Butl. Trans. Zool. Soc. ix. p. 522 ; Druce, 
Moloney's Forestry of Western Africa_, appendix v. p. 492. 

One specimen, captured 27th March. It is identical with 
those in my collection from the Gambia, Calabar, and 
Cameroons. 

Macroglossa, Ochs. 

Macroglossa trochiloides. 

Macroglossa trochiloides, Butl. P. Z. S. 1875, p. 5 ; Trans. 
Zool. Soc. ix. p. 525. 

The type in the National Collection is from Sierra Leone ; 
the two specimens captured in April by the late Mr. Jameson 
are slightly smaller than any I have seen, but they do not differ 
in any other point from those I have from the Cameroons and 
Delagoa Bay. 

Subfam. ChtErocampin-^. 
Philampelus, Harris. 
Philampelus meg^ra. 

Sphinx megcera, Linn. Mus. Lud. Ulr. p. 358; Clerck's 
Icones, t. 47. f. 2. 

Philampelus megcera. Walk. Cat. viii. p. 179 ; Butl. Trans. 
Zool. Soc. ix. p. 577. 

One specimen, that in no way differs from those in my 
collection from West Africa, Delagoa Bay, and Madagascar. 



ENTOMOLOGY. 447 

This species is very widely distributed in Africa, but examples 
from the West Coast and the one captured by Mr. Jameson are 
larger than those I have from Natal and Delagoa Bay, 

Fam. AGAUISTIDJE. 
EusEMiA, Dalm. 

EUSEMIA PALLIDA. 

Eusemia pallida^ Walk. Cat. i. p. 52. 

One specimen that differs slightly from all those in my own 
collection in having an additional spot on the apical band of 
the primaries, but in one or two of the female specimens from 
Cape Palmas the faintest trace of the spot is shown. 

Fam. ZYGM^IBM. 
Subfam. TnYRETiNiE. 
Saliunca, Walk. 
Saliunca thoracica. 

Tipulodes? thoracica, Walk. Cat. vii. p. 1626. 
Saliunca thoracica, Walk. Cat. xxxi. p. 108; Butl. Journ. 
Linn. Soc, Zool. xii. p. 358. 

One example of this beautiful little insect, much brighter in 
colour than those from Sierra Leone in the National Collection 
or than any from Elobey in my own collection. 

Subfam. Euchromiin^. 
EucHROMiA, Hiibn. 

EUCHROMIA FULVIDA. 

Euchromia fulvida, Butl. Trans. Ent. Soc. 1888, p. 112, t. iv. 
f. 5. 

Four specimens, captured in March and April. This species 
varies slightly in colour, judging from the twenty specimens 
in my collection from various localities in West Africa. 

Euchromia leonis. 

Euchromia leonis, Butl. Journ. Linn. Soc, Zool. xii. p. 363 ; 
Trans. Ent. Soc. 1888, p. 113. 

Two specimens, captured the 18th April, are identical with 
those from Logos, Elobey, and the Oogowai River in my col- 
lection ; they do not vary in the least. 



448 STOEY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

Fam. ARCTIIDiE. 

Areas, Walk. 
Areas lutescens. 

Spilosoma lutescens. Walk. Cat. iii. p. 672. 
Halesidota mundata, Walk. Cat. xxxi. p. 309. 
Areas lutescens, Butl. Cist. Ent. ii. p. 22. 
Also in the National Collection. This species is now placed 
in the genus Phissama, Moore. 

Fam. LITHOSITD^. 

Argina, Hiibn. 

Argina cingulifera. 

Deiopeia cingulifera, Walk. Cat. ii. p. 569. 

Argina cingulifera, Druce, Moloney^s Forestry of Western 
Africa, appendix v. p. 495. ' 

One specimen, captured 12th April, in all respects identical 
with those from the Gambia, Abyssinia, and Lake Nyassa in 
my collection. 

Fam. NYCTEMERID^. 

Aletis, Hiibn. 

Aletis helcita. 

Papilio helcita, Linn. Amoen. Acad. vi. p. 405 ; Clerck, Icon, 
t. 39. f. 4. 

Aletis helcita, Walk. Cat. ii. p. 353. 

One specimen of this common insect was captured by 
Mr. Jameson ; it in no respect differs from those before me 
from the East and West Coasts of Africa. 

Fam. SATURNIIDiE. 
Bun^a, Hiibn. 

BuNiEA JAMESONI, Sp. U. 

Primaries olive-brown, with a hyaline spot at the end of the 
cell, a brown line crossing the wing from the costal to the 
inner margin near the base on the outer side of the line ; the 
wing is thickly irrorated with purplish white, extending along 
the costal margin as far as the end of the cell. A narrow 
purplish -white line, edged on both sides with black, crosses the 



ENTOMOLOGY. 449 

wing from the apex to the inner margin above the anal angle ; 
on the outer side of the line is a wide purplish-white band^ 
which gradually widens from the apex to the inner margin ; 
the outer margin olive-brown ; the costal margin near the 
apex is irrorated with purplish- white scales. Secondaries olive- 
brown_, rather darker than the primaries; the costal margin 
from the base to near the apex^ but not quite reaching it, 
broadly banded with bright rose-pink. A broad line_, broadly 
edged with purplish white, crosses the wing near the base from 
the inner margin to the edge of the pink costal margin ; about 
the middle of the wing is a large ocellus, with the central spot 
hyaline, round which is a wide ring of bright olive- brown, 
broadly bordered with black, which is again bordered with a 
wide ring of pale dove-colour. A purplish- white line, edged on 
the outer side with black, crosses the wing below the ocellus 
from the costal margin just above the apex to the inner margin, 
considerably above the anal angle, below the line the wing is 
broadly irrorated with purplish- white scales ; the underside of 
both wings dark brown, thickly irrorated with purplish white 
and crossed by a dark brown line; the inner margin of the 
primaries from the base to almost the anal angle broadly 
bordered with bright rose-pink ; the head, thorax, and abdomen 
olive-brown, banded with dark brown; the collar, tips of the 
tegulse, and the sides and base of the abdomen pinkish white; 
the underside of the head and the legs dark brown; the 
antennae black. Expanse 6 J inches. 

A single specimen of this fine and very distinct insect was 
captured ; I have named it after its discoverer, the late 
Mr. Jameson. The broad pink costal margin of the second- 
aries at once distinguishes it from all the species known to 
me. 

Fam. OPHIDERIDiE. 
Ophideres, Boisd. 
Ophideres divitiosa. 

Ophideres divitiosa, Walk. Proc. Nat. Hist. Soc. Glasgow, 
i. pp. 326, 356, t. vii. f. 11 ; Druce, Moloney's Forestry of 
Western Africa, appendix v. p. 500. 

One specimen, identical with those from Old Calabar and the 



450 STORY OF THE BEA^ COLUMN, 

Cameroons. This species varies considerably in the colour of 
the primaries ; some of the specimens in the large series before 
me have a wide green line extending from the apex to the 
iimer margin. The specimen captured by the late Mr. Jame- 
son has no green, which, appears to be the normal form from 
the Cameroons. 

Fam. OMMATOPHORIDiE. 

PatulAj Guen. 
Patula walkeri. 

Patula walkerij Butl. Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. ser. 4, xvi. 
p. 406 ; Druce_, Moloney^s Forestry of Western Africa, 
appendix v. p. 500. 

A specimen in fine condition of this common insect, captured 
by the late Mr. Jameson at the Yambuya Camp, Aruwimi 
River, is identical with those from all parts of Tropical Africa 
and Madagascar in my collection. 

Fam. HYPOPYRID^. 
Hypopyra, Guen. 
Hypopyra capensis. 

Hypopyra capensis, Herr.-Schaff. SammL aussereur. Schmett. 
p. 79, ff. 121, 122; Druce, Moloney's Forestry of Western 
Africa, appendix v. p. 501. 

One example, identical with those from the Gambia and 
South Africa in my collection. 

Fam. OPHIUSID^. 
AcHiEA, Hiibn. 

ACH^A ILLUSTRATA. 

Achcea illustrata, Walk. Cat. xiv. p. 1392 ; Druce, Moloney*s 
Forestry of Western Africa, appendix v. p. 501. 

The specimen captured on the 18th August differs slightly 
from those from the Gambia and Fantee in my collection : it 
is slightly paler in colour, and the markings on the primaries 
are not so distinct, but I have no doubt it belongs to the same 
species, as most of the Achcea vary considerably. 



ENTOMOLOGY. 451 

Fam. EUSCHEMID^. 
PiTTHEA^ Walk. 

PiTTHEA CONTINUA. 

Pitthea continua, Walk. Cat. ii. p. 463. 

One specimen_, that in no respect differs from examples from 
Lagos, Addah, Cameroons, and the Congo in my collection. 
This species has a wide range in Western Africa ; it has not, 
so far as I know, yet been recorded from East Africa, its place 
being taken on the East Coast by Pitthea trifasciata, Dewitz, 
Nova Acta Acad. Nat. Cnr. xlvii. p. 82, t. iii. f. 3. 

Pitthea agenoria, sp. n. 

Primaries and secondaries deep black, both the wings crossed 
by a semihy aline white band, that on the secondaries not 
reaching the outer margin ; the underside the same as above ; 
the head, antennse, thorax, abdomen, and legs deep black ; the 
collar and the underside of the abdomen bright orange-red. 
Expanse If inch. 

Two specimens of this very distinct species are in the 
collection : it is allied to Pitthea trifasciata, Dewitz, from 
which it is at once distinguished by the entire absence of the 
apical hyaline band on the primaries, and by the anal segments 
being black instead of yellow as in that species. 

Fam. SPILOMELID^. 
Zebronia, Hiibn. 

ZeBRONIA PHENICEALIS. 

Phalcena-Pyralis Phenice, Cram. Pap. Exot. iv. p. 185, t. 383. 
f. G. 

Zebronia feeder alis, Hiibn. Verz. bek. Schmett. p. 361. 

Spilomela phenicealis, Guen. Sp. gen. des Lep. viii. p. 281. 

Spilomela podalirialis, Guen. Sp. gen. des Lep. viii. p. 281. 

Zebronia phenicealis, Walk. Cat. xvii. p. 476; Druce, 
Moloney's Forestry of Western Africa, appendix v. p. 505. 

One specimen, identical with those before me from the 
Gambia and the Cameroons. 



452 



STORY OF THE BEAM COLUMN. 



Fam. BOTYDID^. 
BoTYs, Latr. 

BOTYS MARGINALIS. 

Phalcena-Geometra margmata^ Cram. Pap. Exot. iv. p. 243, 
t. 400. f. I. 

Botis marginata, Swains. Zool. lUustr. ii. t. 77. 

Botys marginalis, Guen. Sp. gen. des Lep. viii. p. 343 ; 
Walk. Cat. xviii. p. 633 ; Druce, Moloney^s Forestry of Western 
Africa^ appendix v. p. 506. 

Two specimens, identical with those from the Gambia, 
Cameroons, and Lake Nyassa in my collection. 




Tattooust©. 



MAP OF UPPER COKGIO 

BETWEEN STANLEY FALLS AND KASSONOO. 



A.. AtkalIila. — Native village, or group of villages (all groups of 
villages being called by one name). Friendly natives in 
Tippu-Tib's territorj^ 

B. EiEST Eapids above Stanley Falls. — Unless these rapids are very 

bad, loads need not be removed from the canoes, althcmgh all 
extra men are put out. Natives are always ready to pilt/u 
the canoes over the rapids for one eshoka, or native axe, for 
each canoe. The road round the rapids is only bad in heavy 
rainSj but it requires clearing from heavy creepers. Eoad 
one hour fast walking. 

C. Yank^iwi^. — Native group of villages in the territory of Kibonge. 

the Arab chief of the town- of that name being himself sub- 
servient to Said bin Abede, at Nyangwe. Tankewe has 
just been burned by men from Kibonge, as the Arabs had 
traded guns and powder to the natives, and they had begun 
attacking unprotected canoes. 

D. Opposite Tankewe are limestone cliffs, with caves and stalactites 

in them. 

E. Wamanga Eapids. — The worst on the whole river between Stanley 

Falls and Kassongo. When the water is low here, the Congo 
rushes through a passage between the rocks, not more than 
50 or 60 yards wide at the narrowest parts. All goods, 
extra men, and awnings have to be removed, and go by 
road, either when coming down or going up th& rapids. 
The road round is a good one. There are always plenty of 
natives from the village of Wamanga at the foot of the 
rapids, ready to take the canoes up or down them. In 
several places the canoes have to be hauled over the bare 
rocks. Fish abound here, and can be bought from the 
natives. Eoad one hour fast walking. 

F. These rapids are very bad only in low water, but all goods and 

extra men ought to go by land. The road is good, and 
only half an hour easy walking. 



454 STORY OF THE BEAR COLUMN. 

G-. KiBONGE. — A large Arab town under an Arab cbief called by thai 
name, who founded it, but who is subservient to Said bin 
Abede, at K'yangwe. Here there are Arabs from Baga- 
moya, Zanzibar, Madagascar, Muscat, and other places, many 
of them owing allegiance to no one, notably Lugalowa, a 
freed slave, who now has a station on the Aruwimi E-iver, 
within one month of Lake Albert Wyanza. Kibonge is 
chief over all the north bank, and most of the south bank 
of the river, from Yankewe to the Kasendo Rapids, in fact 
as far as ]N"yangwe, as he is subservient to Said bin Abede. 

F and I. The Roba and Linde rivers. — These fine large rivers are 
in the territory of Kibonge, and are said to be densely in- 
habited by a very fierce and treacherous lot of natives, whom 
the Arabs have never succeeded in taming. Over and over 
again they have asked for Arab residents, but have nearly 
always ended by eating them. 

J. jKLa-SUKti. — An Arab village, standing on both sides of the river of 
that name, inhabited by Arabs subservient to Kibonge. 
This is a small settlement, but I believe the Arab influence 
extends for a long distance up the river, which (although 
very smaU at the mouth) they assure me flows from a source 
far up in the interior, to the south-west of the Congo. 

K., BiBA-RiBA. — A large Arab settlement, not so large as Kibonge, 
but an important one, belonging to an Arab chief called 
" Mahommed bin Hamis," who owns a large territory here 
on the western bank of the Congo, and is quite independent. 
The natives in this district are the Mculusi, but most of the 
slaves are Wacusu. 

U 'The Kasendo Rapids. — These rapids are not bad, and unless the 
canoes are very heavily laden there is no necessity to remove 
either men or loads. The natives here have a very bad 
reputation for plundering canoes, but they have just received 
a severe lesson from Kibonge, in whose territory they are, 
and who burned all their villages and took all their guns. 

M. LrANGA. — The first "Wagania village we stopped at. From here to 
Kassongo the river-banks are principally inhabited by this 
tribe, who are a harmless and apparently industrious race, 
and furnish paddlers for the canoes of almost all the principal 
Arabs. 



MAP OF UPPER CONGO. 



455 



N. These rapids are bad in low water, and both loads and extra 
people have to go by road, which is a good one, if cleared of 
creepers. 

0. NTA.NGwfi is a large Arab town, really consisting of three villages, 
which are the head-centres of three Arab chiefs, Said bic 
Abede, Said bin Habib, and Muni Mahara, the latter being 
subservient, I believe, to Mahara of Bagamoya. The other 
two chiefs are both powerful and independent. 

P. Kabanga, a large native village where there is a market, and at 
which point Tippu-Tib's territory commences. 

Ct. The landing-place for Kassongo, which is an easy three hours' 
walk from here to the IST.E., with a good road all the way. 

E. Kassongo. — Tippu-Tib's chief town, and the largest of all the Arab 
towns on the Congo. I have heard Nyangwe mentioned as 
being the largest, but this is not a fact, nor can I believe it 
to be a place of so much importance, although it is on the 
river-bank. 




Wae Kioi'ifi. 



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